فيه
foreign lawyers, those arrange- ments already being more restric- tive than the arrangements pro- posed for Hong Kong.
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THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT'S
PROPOSAL
Following on from the above, the Law Society argues:—
(i)
that foreign lawyers unqualified in Hong Kong law should not advise on Hong Kong law or be responsible for supervising the work of Hong Kong lawyers. The reasons for separating un. qualified persons from the prac- tice of Hong Kong law remain as valid now as they have always been. When the question was considered on its merits free from threats or pressure, the Attorney General and the Chief Justice agreed that the proposed changes should not be made.
(ii) that the Government has acceded to strong political and diplomatic pressure. The petitioning Ameri- can firms have made threats, including references to increasing United States Hong Kong trade tension over the dollar peg, the large trade surplus and re- strictions on other U.S. services (such as communications). In this, they have been, and con- tinue to be, strongly supported by the American Chamber of Commerce and the American Consulate. It is understood that
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