RESTRICTED
Congress.
the
23
The Basic Law Drafting Committee appointed by
National People's Congress has met on
on three occasions in Peking.
of its 59 members come from Hong Kong. Five Special Groups have
been established to consider particular areas of the Basic Law. Mainland members of the Special Groups have made study tours to Hong
Kong where they have consulted wide
a
and individuals
groups. The Special Groups have made progress reports to the full Basic Law Drafting Committee. It is expected that on the basis of
"these
Drafting Committee will, in the course reports the Drafting
of 1987,
consider drafts of individual articles of the Basic Law. A full
draft is due to be published in 1988.
19.
The Basic
range
of
Law Consultative Committee in Hong Kong has also
been active in collecting the views of
of the Hong Kong people and
reflecting these to the Basic Law Drafting Committee.
20.
Her Majesty's Government welcome the steps taken by the
Chinese Government to consult
wide the people of Hong Kong on a
to follow basis on the drafting of the Basic Law, and will continue
the drafting process closely.
V.
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
21.
some detail the historical Last year's report described in
background to
in Hong the development of representative government Kong, which is now structured on a framework of three separate but inter-connected tiers: District Boards, Municipal Councils and the
Legislative Council.
22.
The District Boards are advisory bodies established in each Some of the 19 urban and New Territories administrative districts.
on the two-thirds of District Board memberes are directly elected, on
includes which franchise
the all adults over
of age
a minimum of 7 years. Hong Kong
a
basis of
21 years who have resided in Hong Kong
The remaining third of members are
Government.
for
the appointed by
RESTRICTED