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IN 8998
POWERS OF LEGCO AND VIOLATE THE EXECUTIVE-LED SYSTEM IN THE BL. HOWEVER, A SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGE WOULD ONLY INCREASE THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE MEETINGS AND THE STANCE OF COUNCILLORS AND WOULD NOT HAVE
ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE QUESTION OF POWERS.
NCNA HK BRANCH
6. SOME PAPERS (5.1) REPORTED THAT THE NCNA HK BRANCH HAD SET UP
A TAIWAN AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT ON JANUARY 1 TO HANDLE INCREASING
CONTACTS ACROSS THE TAIWAN STRAIT. THE HK STANDARD AND SING TAO JIH PAO (5.1) SAID IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT PEKING HOPED THAT HK, WHICH HAD HAD CLOSE RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN, WOULD PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN PROMOTING EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE MAINLAND AND TAIWAN. THE MEDIA WIDELY REPORTED THAT A DEPUTY HEAD OF CULTURE AT THE NCNA HK BRANCH ATTENDED THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF A LOCAL POLITICAL GROUP, MEETING POINT.
NAVAL BASE
7. THE MEDIA REPORTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD GAZETTED THE REMOVAL OF HMS TAMAR TO THE STONECUTTERS ISLAND. A MEMBER OF THE JLG WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE JLG HAD NOT MADE A DECISION ON THE RELOCATION OF THE NAVAL BASE AND THAT THE MOVE BY THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD NOT AFFECT THE FINAL DECISION OR THE CHOICE OF SITE FOR THE CHINESE GARRISON IN FUTURE.
CIVIL SERVANTS
8. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENIOR NON-EXPATRIATE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, LAU SING, WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THE ALTHOUGH THE BL HAD ALREADY SPELT OUT THE STATUS OF CIVIL SERVANTS AFTER 1997, DETAILS PERTAINING TO THE ISSUE WERE STILL SO UNCLEAR THAT WORRIES STILL EXISTED AMONG CIVIL SERVANTS THAT CHANGES IN THE FUTURE CIVIL SERVICE STRUCTURE WOULD AFFECT THEM. HE SAID THAT CLOSER COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND CIVIL SERVANTS OF ALL GRADE AND THEIR ENHANCED UNDERSTANDING OF THE BL WOULD HELP ALLAY THE FEAR.
CONFIDENCE SURVEY
9. A SECOND SURVEY CONDUCTED BY A CONSULTANCY FIRM AFTER THE JUNE 4 INCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE HK PEOPLE WERE IN SUPPORT OF THE HK GOVERNMENT AND WERE CONFIDENT IN ITS ADMINISTRATION, MING PAO REPORTED.
OMELCO
10. THE HK PRESS HAD BEEN BANNED BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES FROM
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