MADABO (2)
Hong Kong witnesses, including Dame Lydia Dunn who described HMG's position on right of abode for Hong Kong Chinese as "morally indefensible". The Committee were also struck by the general lack of interest in the Basic Law, outside the English-speaking elite who gave formal evidence.
3.
In Peking, the Committee appear to have come away with generally positive impressions about the Chinese attitude to Hong Kong.
Indeed Mr Howell's upbeat interpretation of Chinese attitudes at the Committee's final press conference in Peking may have gone slightly further than was strictly justified by what the Chinese said.
Nationality
4. The Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, Zhou Nan, told the Committee that the nationality issue was "the UK's internal affair". This remark was interpreted by Mr Howell at his press conference as a clear indication that the Chinese would have no objection if HMG wanted to make changes to the nationlity status of Hong Kong BDTCS. It is not clear whether we should take these comments entirely at face value. Zhou Nan was careful to avoid commenting directly on the nationality issue. This is not surprising given that the exchange of memoranda associated with the Joint Declaration constitutes essentially an agreement to differ.
5. Zhou Nan's statement that this is an internal affair for HMG is consistent with the general Chinese line that China accepts HMG's responsibility for the administration of Hong Kong until 1997. It is also probably the case that the Chinese do not believe any change to the nationality status of Hong Kong BDTCS is on the cards.
The y can therefore afford to keep their views to themselves. It would be worth sending a cautionary note on this point, although it is clear from Mr Howell's meeting with the PUS on 27 April that he is inclined to take Chinese views at face value.
Representative Government
6. The Daily Telegraph has reported that the Chinese would have no objection to a referendum being held in Hong Kong within the next