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becomes a policy-making centre) as well as the relation between the central government and the local government. She also disapproves of the dissociation of Hong Kong
from the motherland.
Who is to be the chief executive
China is not entirely against representative
government. It is because there are many modes of representative government practised over the world, but the point is which
mode is the best to follow? Is it appropriate to transplant
any one of them to Hong Kong? Do we need to create a new one
having regard to the actual situation of Hong Kong? On
political reform, if only the Hong Kong side can discuss with
the Chinese side to seek its consent and to have it laid
down in the Basic Law, representative government, after all,
is feasible.
As to the issue of direct elections to the
legislature, China has no preconceived idea. The Legislative
Assembly of Macau has one-third of its seats directly elected,
why doesn't China raise objection with the Portugese-Macau authorities? I think it would be more appropriate if
in future the LegCo of Hong Kong has one-fifth or one-
fourth of its seats directly selected.
As to how the chief executive should come into
being, it is stipulated in the Sino-British Agreement that
the chief executive shall be selected by election or
through consultations: It seems most unlikely that there will be direct election in this regard. Or will the
functional constituencies first select an institution which
will in turn hold elections or consultations? It is
because the chief executive has to be appointed by the
Central government in order to reflect the return of
sovereignty and the appointee should be recognised by the central government. A feature of indirect elections by
functional constituencies is that the choice of chief
/executive....