^HN EDWARD PORTER
OF ILLINOIS
MMÉE
APPROPRIATIONS
**WEES
FOREIGN OPERATIONS
KODA HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
AND EDUCATION
ESCATIVE SRANCH
NGRESSIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS CAUCUS
THAGMAN
Mr Bickelts
I
Merg Kore
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
have discussed this with Mr Lo
Washington, DC 20515
March 3, 1988
in doing this
who is keen to send the staffer some factual material whoe but these claims. I see no (though it will be too late to affect
WPPORT DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG
to
to speck to "My Lo first in order to congest You might like league with what you have already done
WASHINGTON OFF L
1501 LONGWORTH HOUSE OF LE BONDING WASHINGTON DC 205 15
невоби
(202) 225-4835
HOME OFFICES
601-A COUNTY BUILDING 18 NORTH COUNTY STREET WAUKEGAN, IL 60085 (312) 662-010:
104 WILMOT ROAD SUITE 410
DEERFIELD, IL 60015
(312) 940-0202
1850 ARLINGTON HEIGHTS ROAD SUITE 104
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL 60004 (312) 392-0303
Despite my homing falked to the staffer concerned, He has come over thoroughly unhelpfully. De
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Surprisingly, the government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is frustrating the cause of democracy right where it can help it the most: Hong Kong.
Four years ago, Britain agreed to transfer its sovereignty over Hong Kong to China in 1997. After 1997, what is now Hong Kong will become a "Special Administrative Region," part of China but theoretically exempt from Chinese communism for 50 years. The hope is that two systems will exist within one country.
The accord specifically provides for a government by local residents with an elected legislature and an accountable executive. In addition, the British government promised political reform and direct elections before the colony reverted to Chinese sovereignty.
Long ruled as a colony directly from London, the British government) recently bowed to pressure from the People's Republic of China (PRC) and announced that it will not permit direct elections in Hong Kong until 1991, and then only 10 of the 57 members of the Legislative Council will be directly elected. A vocal opposition has emerged in Hong Kong calling for direct elections.
British policy in Hong Kong has important economic ramifications for the United States. In 1987, U.S. total investment in Hong Kong was $6.0 billion, while Hong Kong exported $11.1 billion, or 31% of its exports, to the U.S. The prospect of Chinese interference in Hong Kong's economic system has already had disturbing effects. More than 10,000 Hong Kong residents plan to flee the colony this year for Australia, Canada, and the U.S. Last year, at least 20,000 Canadian immigrant visas were reportedly issued to Hong Kong investors, entrepreneurs, and independent skilled migrants.
These economic and political realities underscore the need for the establishment of strong democratic institutions and practices long before the colony reverts to Chinese control. With such institutions in place, the Chinese government would have to pay too high a price to dismantle freely elected democratic institutions. This is why we must urge the British government to ensure that all or a much higher proportion of the Legislative Council is directly elected before 1991.
If you would like to sign this letter Peter Friedman of my staff (x5-483).
have any questions, please contact
Sincerely
пува
Zehets
John E. Porter Member of Congress
1