CONFIDENTIAL
123471 MDHIAN 9557
5. VOTING ON THE VARIOUS REPORTS AND DRAFT LAWS SHOWED THE BY NOW CUSTOMARY HANDFUL OF VOTES IN OPPOSITION AND ABSTENTIONS. TWO DEPUTIES VOTED AGAINST LI PENG'S REPORT (AFTER 120 MINOR ADJUSTMENTS HAD BEEN MADE AT THE PROPOSAL OF DEPUTIES) AND 4 ABSTAINED, GIVING A MAJORITY IN FAVOUR OF 2,682. A STRIKINGLY LARGE NUMBER OF DEPUTIES DID NOT GIVE THEIR APPROVAL TO THE DRAFT LAW GIVING LEGISLATIVE RIGHTS TO SHENZHEN. 1,609 DEPUTIES WERE IN FAVOUR, 274 AGAINST AND 805 ABSTAINED. DEPUTIES SEEM TO HAVE BEEN ANNOYED BY SHENZHEN'S DEMAND TO BE GIVEN THESE RIGHTS BEFORE IT HAD PROVIDED THE BASIS BY SETTING UP A LOCAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS AND STANDING COMMITTEE: THEY INSISTED THAT EVEN UNDER THE NEW LAW, AND AFTER SUCH BODIES EXISTED, THE NPC'S STANDING COMMITTEE SHOULD RETAIN A RIGHT TO VET ALL LOCAL REGULATIONS. OTHER PROVINCES IN THE QUEUE TO GET LEGISLATIVE RIGHTS WILL BE EXPECTED TO DRAW THE OBVIOUS LESSONS.
BAILES.
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
91
LIMITED
FED
NEWS
INFO D
PUSD
RESEARCH
ECD (E) HKD
ADDITIONAL
1
DISTRIBUTION
92
22
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CAB OFFICE
NNNN
ERD
ECON ADVRS
SPD
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
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CONFIDENTIAL