passed since the major constitutional changes in 1985, or because the system of elections to be used after 1997 had not yet been established in the Basic Law due to be promulgated in 1990. The fact that it was widely believed that the Chinese Government did not favour the introduction of direct elections before the Basic Law was
finalised may have had considerable influence on public opinion. The British and Hong Kong Governments concluded that on balance it would be right to make the next major constitutional change in 1991, when 10 seats will be open for direct election from geographical constituencies, replacing 10 seats presently elected by
district-based electoral college constituencies.