› CONFIDENTIAL
4. The first point that has to be considered is whether the executive function which is to span 1997 can emerge from the office of Governor, ie the future Chief Executive moves in to the position which the Governor presently occupies. I do not think this is possible. First, the Governor has a number of functions which the Chief Executive will not exercise. The most significant of these is his representational character. The Chinese are unlikely to accept that the Chief Executive just takes over the Governor's functions minus representing the Queen, defence and various other elements. Indeed apart from what they would see as an essential necessity to break from the past, the idea of the Chief Executive succeeding to the Governor would not serve in a training or familiarisation role, at least one of which is an essential feature of convergence and the bolstering of the autonomy of the SAR.
5.
What is needed is the creation of a forerunner of the office of Chief Executive so that the administration of Hong Kong is directed by, and dependent upon, that office and that office can carry forward in 1997. this will provide familiarity of institution and minimise the element of change brought about by the disappearance of the Governor. It also has the advantage that immediate responsibility for policies that fall within the portfolio of the office of the proto-Chief Executive will cease to be matters for the Governor and thus will encourage cooperation prior to 1997 between Hong Kong holders of the office of proto-Chief Executive and the legislature.
6.
If an office of proto-Chief Executive is established (and there would be advantage in establishing it earlier rather than later) then the functions of government, other than those which are essential to retain in the hands of the Governor, can first be delegated and subsequently possibly transferred to the office holder and may in turn be distributed by him amongst secretary rank officials. kind of structure could prepare the administration and the people of Hong Kong for the emergence of the SAR Executive upon the resumption of Chinese rule.
7.
This
It is then necessary to consider the people who may fill the office of proto-Chief Executive and principal officials. There are two considerations here and they do not necessarily lead to the same conclusion. The first is efficiency and that would mean ensuring that you have a first proto-Chief Executive who can set up and run an office new to Hong Kong and take over the direction of the principal administrative departments. This is not only relevant to the office of the proto-Chief Executive himself but also to the secretary rank officers and their immediate subordinates, who are responsible for such departments. The second consideration relates to the extent that arrangements of this kind can provide preparatory and training arrangements and it is necessary to consider how, in the years immediately before 1997 (and possibly after the new structure has been evolved)
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PF1AAM