Job No. 166880
HANSARD/JUL14:TT
1918
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 14 July 1988
First, since the Basic Law has not stipulated the method of producing the Chief Executive and the legislature members have a lot of reservation regarding general and direct elections.
Second, should the Basic Law accept the alternative proposed by a group of 190, and that means that the second Chief Executive will have to be nominated by one third of the legislature, and that is the reason why the first Chief Executive-his term should expire half a year after the expiration of the term of the first legislature.
Thirdly, in 1990, after the promulgation of the Basic Law, the selection of the Chief Executive and formation of the legislature should be quite definite and Hong Kong's legislature therefore should gradually develop. If it is stipulated that the legislature should have a term of four years, then in 1991 and before 1997 all legislature should have a term of four years; therefore, those who take office in 1991 will have their office expire in 1995 and those who take office in 1995 will have their term expire in 1999, straddling 1997, and that would be the most smooth way of transition.
Fourth, sovereignty can be exercised through appointed the preparatory committee by the Standing Committee of the NPC and at the same time the swearing-in ceremony can be presided over by a representative from the Central People's Government.
A good beginning is half success; however, there is a contrary saying in Cantonese: 'The first stroke beats the third watch.' The third watch occurs in the dead of the night. We all hope that the first government and the first legislature will be born in the first twilight.
Sir, with these remarks I support the motion.
MRS. TAM (in Cantonese): Sir, every section of the draft Basic Law is important to Hong Kong's future and her development, but there are two important issues that Hong Kong people must pay particular attention to. Firstly, one of the most important targets of drafting the Basic Law is to stipulate the 14 points of policy regarding China's treatment of Hong Kong contained in the Joint Declaration, and the Hong Kong people attach the highest degree of im- portance to the promise of a high degree of autonomy. Can the draft Basic Law implement and reaffirm this promise? Secondly, the Joint Declaration did not provide any concrete arrangements for some very major issues. The task is left to the Basic Law. So is the draft Basic Law providing a reasonable and sound political system? May speech today will concentrate on these two fundamental questions. In addition, I will also speak on the execution of political rights by our youth, a subject that has long been my personal concern.
Firstly, on the idea of a high degree of autonomy, the Joint Declaration specifies that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will exercise a high degree of autonomy in accordance with the provisions of the Basic Law and
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