JH1AGQ
BACKGROUND
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1.
In November 1984 the Hong Kong Government published a White Paper entitled "The Further Development of Representative Government
in Hong Kong". The Paper, which wa s endorsed by the Hong Kong Legislative Council (LEGCO)
(LEGCO) in January
in January 1985, proposed:
(a)
an increase in the number of Unofficial members of LEGCO and a decrease in the number of Official (ie civil servant) members;
(b) the selection of 24 of these Unofficials by indirect elections.
based on geographical and functional constituencies; and
(c) a further review of
of developments towards more representative
government, including the possibility of direct elections to
LEGCO, in 1987.
2.
While they have not objected to these developments as such, the
Chinese have expressed considerable concern through formal and
informal
channels
over
the
These
extent and
pace of further
"democratisation" in Hong Kong between now and 1997. A particular
point of concern to them
them is whether developments arising from the
1987 review will preempt their plans for Hong Kong's Government
structure post-1997, which will be emb od i ed in the Basic Law that
they are now drafting.
concerns were fully aired in the
second meeting of the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group in
in Peking
between 26 and 29 November, when both sides agreed that Hong Kong's
plans for further constitutional development up to 1997, and the
provisions to be included in the Basic Law, should a im towards a
"convergence" over the next 11 years.
3.
Chinese concern has since retreated slightly from the highpoint
of last November, but they remain acutely sensitive on this issue.
4.
any
Meanwhile neither HMG nor the Hong Kong Government have taken
final decisions on what if any
further developments should be
put forward for public discussion in the 1987 review.
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