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14. Referendum on the Basic Law
I am sure that members of the House will agree that it would be quite impractical to attempt to hold a referendum on such a detailed and complex document as the Basic Law. There is a free and open debate on the whole text in progress. The Chinese authorities are clearly paying careful attention to it. This is a much more sensible way of engaging in public consultations.
15.
Parliament and the Basic Law
It is correct that some Chinese spokesmen initially expressed reservations about debates on the Basic Law in Parliament. But
subsequently the Chinese Foreign Minister stated that if Parliament decided on a debate that was our affair. I believe the Chinese
Government now understand Parliament's direct interest in the Basic Law, deriving from the authority given by Parliament to Her Majesty's Government to sign the Joint Declaration. The Chinese authorities did not have any difficulty about accepting the Hansard record of the debate in another place.
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