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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE

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1.

The Joint Declaration states in Clause 3(3) that "The Hong

Kong Special Administrative Region will be vested with executive, legislative and independent judicial power". Paragraph 3 of Section

I of Annex I to

the Joint Declaration states that "The

"The executive

authorities shall abide by the law and shall be accountable to the

legislature".

2.

Section I of Annex I also prescribes that "The legislative power of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be vested in the legislature of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region".

3.

Paragraph 2 of Section V of Annex I prescribes that "The systems by which taxation and public expenditure must be approved by

the legislature, and by which there is accountability to the legislature for all public expenditure, and the system for auditing public accounts, shall be maintained".

The Present Arrangements

4.

The first of the three papers handed to Foreign Minister Wu

Sir Geoffrey Howe Xueqian by the Secretary of State] in May set out the present arrangements in Hong Kong. It explained that although the Executive

Council and Legislative Council exercise different functions, a close relationship and cooperation between them is essential to the

efficient conduct of business. The smooth working of the Government

requires that the executive and legislature function in partnership.

The fact that a number of unofficials and officials are members of

both Councils and other officials sit in

in the Legislative Council

provides linkage and communication between them and between the

Legislative Council and the Government.

5.

The advantages to the Executive Council of the existing relationship between the two Councils and of having members of the

Executive Council on the Legislative Council are that:

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