50% in 1997. Meanwhile, a recent Basic Law Drafting Committee
meeting in Canton increased the figure in the draft Basic Law to 18
for 1997. The draft is not yet finalised, but clearly there is a large gap between Hong Kong aspirations and Chinese intentions. We have been engaged in discussions with the Chinese in an effort to
convince them of the need for more directly elected seats in 1997
and the pressure we are under to introduce 20 for 1991. It will
clearly be in Hong Kong's best interests to come to an arrangement where convergence is preserved. But this will largely depend on the extent to which the Chinese are prepared to meet Hong Kong's wishes. We expect to make an announcement about the 1991 elections in the
next few weeks. A final draft of the Basic Law will be drawn up at
the Basic Law Drafting Committee Plenary Meeting on 12 February.
RELATIONS WITH CHINA
9.
The Chinese have been suspicious and defensive about the reaction in the West and in Hong Kong to its crushing of the pro-
democracy movement culminating in the Tiananmen Square incident.
Senior Chinese leaders are convinced that Britain is exploiting
anti-China sentiment and China's international isolation in order to
obtain more concessions from China over Hong Kong. China is also extremely suspicious about pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong and has accused us of allowing Hong Kong to be used as a base for
subversion against the mainland. China refuses to accept responsibility for the huge loss of confidence in Hong Kong following Tiananmen Square and therefore has rejected the need for
measures to restore that confidence. For example, they reacted in a
hostile way to the announcement of our nationality package. The last months of 1989 were marked by a series of public disputes with
China. We hope that this period has come to an end and are urging the Chinese to express their views to us privately. But any lasting improvement in our relations over Hong Kong will depend on a satisfactory resolution of the democracy issue.
BILL OF RIGHTS
10.
The Joint Declaration provides for the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant
MT HAPQ (6)