- 2 -
Not swe
/if
this
purely the executive arm of the Government, thereby casting off the political role played by the Admimistrative Officers. This has gradually been listed as one of the most pressing targets of the Hong Kong Government with the opening of the local constitutional system and the widening of the level of participation. It has already been a foregone conclusion that the British will retreat from Hong Kong and surrender its powers to Hong Kong. But the question is to whom the powers should be transferred. If by way of appointment, the power of control
will at least be in the hand of the Hong Kong Government.
The most puzzling question is, of course, whether such a package will get China's tacit agreement. The major reason of Chinas opposition to the ministerial system lies in the fact that it may give rise to social unrest following the emergence of party politics. If ministers are to be appointed by the party which gains victory in a direct election or they can be removed by the LegCo, China will think that Hong Kong's political situation will certainly become very unstable. In contrast, the appointed minister system
is more moderate and conservative.
But to China, this relatively moderate change may still have elements of instability. It is particularly so when the appointed ExCo members (who are also the elected LegCo members) cannot be re-elected in the following year's election and thus cannot sit on the LegCo. By then, should the Hong Kong Government appoint other people to be
their stead?
V
ExCo members to take
7 Moreover, it is stated in the Sino-British Joint Declaration that Secretaries shall be nominated by the Chief Executive and appointed by the
The unofficial ExCo members tasked Central People's Government of China.
If the functions they
with specific duties are not government officials. give play to are, in practice, the same as those of the existing Secretaries, it will be meaningless for the Central Government to nominate the Secretaries who simply carry out the policies.