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The problem of compatibility
19.
The Joint Declaration on the question of Hong Kong and its first annex contain a number of general provisions about the structure and operation of the future SAR Government. Those most relevant to the present paper are that the SAR's legislature will be composed of local inhabitants and constituted by elections. (The 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.
20.
The drafting of the Basic Law is now under way. Formally speaking this is a matter for the Chinese Government. They have established a Basic Law Drafting Committee (BLDC) (including Hong Kong members representing a broad spectrum of views) which has in turn created sub-groups to study certain aspects of the draft law. The Chinese have also set up a Basic Law Consultative Committee (BLCC) in Hong
Kong to reflect Hong Kong opinion to the BLDC.
21.
If we are to achieve a smooth transfer of Government
in 1997, as the Joint Declaration commits us to do, it is clear that there must be compatibility (or "convergence")
between the Government structure as it continues to evolve up
to 1997 and the Government structure for the Hong Kong SAR as
this is described in the Basic Law. If convergence cannot be achieved there will be a disruptive break in 1997 and/or open
conflict between the British and Chinese Governments before
1997, with potentially disastrous results for the stability of
Hong Kong.
22.
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.