RESTRICTED
draft as this has evolved.
8
Few constitutional lawyers would relish
such a public drafting exercise. Other
ways might have been tidier. But the Chinese
authorities recognise the need to retain the
confidence of Hong Kong people in the drafting
process and to involve them fully in it. We
very much welcome this approach.
The same open-minded approach is now being
applied to the process of public consultation.
The Basic Law Consultative Committee have
mounted an extensive publicity campaign to
collect views among Hong Kong people. The
Chinese authorities have made clear that the
RESTRICTED