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SO WOULD
expect that of us. In consequence it would be more appropriate for power to be delegated to the Chief Executive (Designate).
This
would allow the Chief Executive (Designate) to acquire authority and experience, as he must, by giving him a free hand for all practical
But it would leave ultimate purposes within his area of autonomy. authority with the Governor, as the representative of HMG, and allow (Loui)) DEVOLUTION
cromer for the resumption of power by him in the event of a crisis. Revolution
7.
It may be considered that to maximise Hong Kong's autonomy the Chief Executive (Designate) ought to be left free to act upon his
mandate in the
that in this area
Before 1997 HMG's
best interests of Hong Kong. If we retain until 1997 the power to overrule the actions of the Chief Executive (Designate) will this create a precedent for the exercise of a similar overriding power by
It is clear from the the Central People's Government after 1997? provisions of the Joint Declaration, however, there cannot and will not be "convergence". responsibility for the administration is unqualified: it follows from this that the ultimate authority in every field must lie with
After 1997 the extent of Hong Kong's autonomy is as stipulated THEORETICALLY HMG.
Within that area the Central People's Theory in the Joint Declaration.
Government will not have the power to override the actions of the Chief Executive. That position will not be affected by the extent to which power is delegated to a Chief Executive (Designate) before
1997.
(ii) The Extent of the Delegation of Powers
It would seem most
8. The main paper notes (para 4) that the present powers of the
of the Chief Executive under the Governor and the future power Joint Declaration will not be identical. practicable if the Chief Executive (Designate) was endowed with his
This would mean that there was no powers on a progressive basis.
abrupt change, and that he could be given time to establish his position. The objective would be to ensure that he was exercising all the powers of the office of Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR by the time that office came into existence on 1 July 1997.
A progressive delegation on these lines would substantially improve the prospects of a transfer of government in conditions of
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༢.