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MIPT
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: WHITE PAPER
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
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15 JAN 1288
ON 27 MAY 1987 THE GOVERNMENT PUBLISHED A GREEN PAPER ENTITLED
THE 1987 REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
HONG KONG S SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN DEVELOPING
SINCE THE 1970S. IT WAS LAST REVIEWED IN 1984, WHEN THE SYSTEM WAS
STILL CONFINED TO THE REGIONAL AND DISTRICT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
AS A RESULT OF THAT REVIEW, THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO EXTEND THE PROCESS TO THE CENTRAL LEVEL AND, ACCORDINGLY, 24 ELECTED MEMBERS WERE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1985. THE
GOVERNMENT ALSO ANNOUNCED IN 1984 ITS INTENTION TO REVIEW THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AGAIN
IN 1987. THE GREEN PAPER MARKED THE FIRST STAGE OF THAT REVIEW.
GENERAL OBJECTIVES
2. HONG KONG HAS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT THAT
IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM SYSTEMS USED ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD. THIS
HAS REFLECTED THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG, INCLUDING ITS
STATUS AS A NON-SOVEREIGN TERRITORY: ITS POSITION AS A MAJOR BUSINESS
AND FINANCIAL CENTRE: ITS SMALL AREA WITH A LARGE, RAPIDLY GROWING
POPULATION: AND ITS FAST PACE OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THESE FACTORS HAVE REQUIRED THE GOVERNMENT BOTH TO ADAPT TO MEET
THE GROWING NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF SOCIETY AND ALSO TO MAINTAIN
POLITICAL STABILITY AND EFFICIENT, DECISIVE ADMINISTRATION.
3. THESE TWO REQUIREMENTS CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE GOVERNMENT S
THINKING ON THE QUESTION OF THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT. AS HONG
SOCIETY DEVELOPS, SO IT REQUIRES A MORE SOPHISTICATED SYSTEM. THE SAME TIME, THE NEED TO MAINTAIN STABILITY AND EFFICIENCY
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