GRS 700
UNCLASSIFIED
FROM PEKING 020909Z JUL 85
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1016 OF 2/7/85
INFO PRIORITY HON KONG
#кконо/ 21
RECON
- 3 JUL 1985
(
کیا
BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE
1. THE FIRST SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE IPENED IN PEKING ON 1 JULY.
IT WILL LAST FOR FIVE DAYS.
2. JH PENGFE, THE CHAIRMAN, GAVE AN OPENING ADDRESS, THE FULL TEXT OF WHICH WAS CARRIED IN PEOPLE'S DAHLY. AN WELCOMED THE ESTABLISH-
MENT OF THE COMMITTEE. HE SAID THAT FOLLOWING THE EXCHANGE OF
INSTRUMENTS OF RATIFICATION THE JOINT DECLARATION HAD COME INTO
FORCE AND THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD HAD BEGUN. THE BASIC LAW WOULD BE
DRAFTED IN 4 TO 5 YEARS. IT WOULD BE BASED (GEN JU) ON ARTICLE 31
OF THE CONSTITUTION. IT WOULD EMBODY THE PRINCIPLE OF ''ONE COUNTRY,
TWO SYSTEMS'' AND WOULD LAY DOWN THAT THE SOCIALIST SYSTEM WOULD
NOT BE ENFORCED IN HONG KONG AND THAT THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM AND
WAY OF LIFE THERE WOULD BE GUARANTEED (BAO ZHB) UNCHANGED FOR 50
YEARS. J SAID THAT THE CURRENT MEETING WOULD DISCUSS THE COMMITTEE'S
WORKING PROCEDURE AND OUTLINE WORK PROGRAMME, AND HAVE A PRELIMINARY
EXCHANGE OF VIEWS ON THE CONTENT OF THE LAW.
3. I THEN GAVE HIS VIEWS UNDER THREE MAIN HEADINGS:
(A) NATURE AND TASKS OF THE COMMITTEE. J. OUTLINED ITS CONSTITUTIONAL
STATUS AS A WORK ORGAN OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS (NPC),
RESPONSIBLE TO THE NPC, OR TS STANDING COMMITTEE WHEN THE NPC
WAS NOT IN SESSION. IT WOULD FOLLOW THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF
ARTICLE 31 OF THE CONSTITUTION AND OF THE POLICIES OF THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT AS LAID DOWN IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT WOULD BE BASED
ON THE PRINCIPLE OF SAFE-GUARDING CHINA'S STATE SOVEREIGNTY AND
PROTECTING HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. IT WOULD SEEK WIDE
RANGING CONSULTATIONS WITH ALL SECTIONS OF HONG KONG COMPATRIOTS.
(B) OUTLINE WORK PROGRAMME. THE DRAFTING PROCESS SHOULD BE COMPLETED
IN 4 TO 5 YEARS. A DRAFT LAW SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE NPC IN THE
FIRST HALF OF 1990 FOR APPROVAL AND PROMULGATON. IN MORE DETAIL
JI SAID THAT:
(1) IN THE SECOND HALF OF THIS YEAR EFFORT WOULD BE CONCENTRATED
ON RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATION. THE OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS OF
ALL GIRCLES OF HONG KONG COMPATRIOTS WOULD BE SOUGHT. ON THIS BAS-IS
THE COMMITTEE WOULD CALL ITS SECOND MEETING IN THE FIRST QUARTER
OF 1986 TO DECIDE ON THE BROAD TERMS OF THE CONTENT OF THE LAW AND TO DEFINE THE MAIN HEADINGS,
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