6. The Group has now met on nine occasions, most recently in Hong
Kong from 8-11 March 1988. It has held wide ranging discussions on
a number of subjects, including Hong Kong's external economic
relations, the continued application of international rights and
obligations to Hong Kong, the continuation beyond 1997 of Hong
Kong's own Air Services Agreements, and travel and identity
documentation for Hong Kong residents. Good progress has been made
and agreement has been reached on many topics affecting the future
of Hong Kong. In accordance with the Joint Declaration, the JLG
will take Hong Kong as its principal base from 1 July 1988.
Constitutional Reform
7.
Britain and Hong Kong are taking steps to develop
representative government in Hong Kong. These measures have
included the introduction of indirect elections to Hong Kong's
Legislative Council, which took place in September 1985 when
24 of the Council's 56 members were elected. Following a review in
1987, the Hong Kong Government's White Paper of February
this year announced that two more Legislative Council seats will
be filled by indirect elections in 1988, and that 10 directly
elected seats will be introduced in 1991, replacing 10 seats
currently filled by indirect elections.
8.
At the same time the Chinese Government have in hand the
drafting of the Basic Law which will set out the constitutional arrangements for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of
China after 1 July 1997. This is being done in close consultation
with the people of Hong Kong. The first draft of the Basic Law will be published in early May 1988. There will then be a period of five months for public comment, and the draft will be revised in the
light of comments received. The process will be repeated in 1989 on the basis of the revised text and a finalised version is expected
to be promulgated in 1990.