2
Mr Xu also said, "There is the question of dovetailing
the system of representative government with the Basic Law. Three possibilities exist: The first is that representative government
will dovetail with the Basic Law. This is the most ideal and the
most desirable development. The second is that certain parts
dovetail and certain parts do not. This is not a desirable
development. The third possibility is that each one goes its own
This, for Hong Kong, will be most unfortunate.
way.
It will also
be unfortunate for Britain and China. The constitutional reforms
were cooked up by Britain. We believe the British government will
deal with the question in a sensible and responsible manner. There
is a saying: "Major changes for twelve years, no change for fifty
years". From whichever angle we view it, we do not want to see such
a thing happen. Before the Sino-British talks began and while they
were in progress, the opinions we gathered from various quarters in
Hong Kong and from the British government indicated a wish to maintain
Hong Kong's economic and social systems unchanged. It was on the
basis of the wishes of Hongkong people and of the British government
that we arrived at an aṛreement and signed a joint declaration. We
do not wish to see major changes for twelve years preceding no change
for fifty years.
Mr Xu disclosed some basic facts: The idea of maintaining
Hong Kong's socio-economic system unchanged had been put up by
Britain during the talks and was eventually written into the
agreement.
The constitutional framework is an inherent part of the
social system. In September 1983, while the Sino-British talks were
in progress, the British arranged for a Commonwealth Law Conference
to be held in Hong Kong. The then Attorney-General, John Griffiths,
delivered a speech at the conference, entitled "The Constitution of
Hong Kong: The Hub of the Wheel of State" which was given prominent
press coverage the following day. The text of the speech formed the first chapter of the Government's annual report "Hong Kong 1983"
which is indicative of the importance attached to it.