UNCLASSIFIED
102515
MDLIAN 7779
WOULD COMPRISE 60 MEMBERS IN 1991 AND THAT THE TERRITORY WOULD BE DIVIDED INTO NINE CONSTITUENCIES. IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD SECURED THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON THE CHANGES DURING HIS RECENT TRIP TO LONDON, THE REPORTS SAID.
TRANSITION
10. QUOTING A SOURCE IN PEKING, THE PAPERS (19.3) REPORTED THAT THREE ISSUES IN HONG KONG REMAINED TO BE RESOLVED DURING THE TRANSITION AFTER THE PROMULGATION OF THE BASIC LAW, NAMELY, (1) THE IDENTIFICATION OF THOSE LOCAL LAWS WHICH CONFLICTED WITH THE BASIC LAW, (2) WAYS TO MAINTAIN THE STABILITY OF THE TERRITORY'S ECONOMY DURING THE TRANSITION AND (3) SELECTION OF KEY POST HOLDERS. MING PAO IDENTIFIED THE SOURCE AS A VICE-DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS, LI HOU.
11. THE CHINESE SIDE HAD RAISED THE THREE ISSUES BECAUSE THEY WOULD
NOT LIKE TO SEE ANY UNILATERAL INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION BY THE BRITISH/HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AS HAPPENED IN THE CASE OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND IT FELT THAT AS A MOVE TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. CANDIDATES FOR SENIOR GOVERNMENT POSTS MUST BE ACCEPTABLE BY CHINA, BRITAIN AND HONG KONG.
12. A BRITISH SOURCE AT THE JLG TOLD THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES (20.3) THAT HE WAS SURPRISED THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH THEM CANDIDATES FOR THE KEY POSTS DURING THE TRANSITION. HE STRESSED THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION BRITAIN WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF
HONG KONG BEFORE 1997.
BASIC LAW
13. BASIC LAW MAINLAND DRAFTER XIAO WEIYUN, WHO WAS VISITING MACAU, SAID THAT SHOULD HONG KONG AND MACAU RESIDENTS CONTINUED TO FEEL THAT THE CHINESE CONSTITUTION WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO GUARANTEE THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM IN THE TWO TERRITORIES, HE COULD PROPOSE THAT THE CHINESE CONSTITUTION BE CHANGED IN 1992 IN ORDER TO BOOST PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE IN THE 'ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS' POLICY, THE PAPERS (19.3) REPORTED. MR XIAO SAID THAT THE HONG KONG AND MACAU SARS WOULD BE SET UP IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 31 OF THE CHINESE CONSTITUTION AND THAT IT COULD BE POSSIBLE TO INSERT A CLAUSE IN THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION SPECIFYING THAT A SOCIALIST SYSTEM WOULD BE ADOPTED IN THE MAINLAND WHILE THE SARS WOULD PRACTISE
CAPITALISM.
GUO FENGMIN
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