17.
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the Executive Council
is any greater
than
There is no evidence that public interest in changes to the
composition of
in 1984.
If anything, there seems to be a greater recognition of the need to maintain a strong executive capable of providing firm leadership and
All of WHICH efficient administration.
*
The Problem of Compatibility
As I which affects, IF AND TANG
INST
DIRECT
mything,
18.
contain
a
number
the Question of Hong Kong and its provisions general
of
the about
Those most
The Joint Declaration on
first Annex structure and operation of the future SAR government. relevant to the present paper are that the SAR'S legislature will be (The composed of local inhabitants and constituted by elections. form of election is not stated.) The Joint Declaration also provides that the policies which it states will be stipulated in the Basic
Law of the Hong Kong SAR.
19.
a
The drafting of the Basic Law speaking this is
established
is
now
under way.
Government.
Formally
They have
(including Hong
matter for the Chinese
Basic Law Drafting
Committee (BLDC) a
Kong members representing a broad spectrum of
spectrum of views) which has in turn created sub-groups to study certain aspects of the draft law.
The Chinese have
Committee also set up
Basic a
Law Consultative
(BLCC) in Hong Kong to reflect Hong Kong opinion to the BLDC.
20.
a
If we
to achieve are
transfer of government in
us to do, it is clear that the Joint Declaration commits
the between must be compatibility (or "convergence")
smooth
as it
1997, as
there
this is
described in
government structure
continues to evolve up to 1997 and the government structure for the Hong Kong SAR as this the Basic Law. If convergence cannot be achieved there will be a disruptive break in 1997 and/or open conflict between
conflict between the British and Chinese governments before 1997, with potentially disastrous
results for the stability of Hong Kong.
21.
The
general
problem
is
compounded
by
particular
complications of timing over the next two years. The review to be conducted by the Hong Kong Government during 1987 will address the further development of representative government.
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We
are committed