VB1A00
CONFIDENTIAL
SIR Y K PAO'S CHEVENING WEEKEND
15-16 MARCH 1986
THIS IS A COPY
VIII.
BASIC LAW
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNDER
FOI EXEMPTION NO...27.(1).
Background
1.
Sir Y K was invited by the Chinese to become a Vice-Chairman (one of 8) of the Basic Law Drafting Committee (BLDC) in June 1985.
The BLDC
BLDC has 59 members (23 from Hong Kong) and i s chaired by Ji Pengfei, Director of State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Office.
of the The Hong Kong members
BLDC have
have established a Basic Law
Consultative Committee (BLCC) in the territory. The BLCC has 150 members from a wide cross section of Hong Kong society, including 15
expatriates.
2.
We have welcomed
a
The
the Chinese decision to consult Hong Kong
people on
wide basis
Basic Law. the drafting of on
the
Chinese are trying to deal carefully with Hong Kong opinion
3.
to be:
We understand the programme for the drafting of the Basic Law
(a)
(b)
(c)
BLCC will collect views.
Preliminary
be
text will be produced
by the drafting committee in early 1988. This will published in Hong Kong for further consultation by the BLCC;
Draft Basic Law for submission to the Chinese National People's Congress Standing Committee will be produced in late 1988-early 1989. Draft then published in Hong Kong;
BLDC will then produce revised draft for submission to the NPC Standing Committee in 1990, which will then be promulgated.
CONFIDENTIAL