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Message from
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
to Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs (18 January 1990)
The
Governor
Hong Kong nas reported to me on
that this was
increase
is it of last week to Beijing.
bluable
ה:
Chat
able
I believe
both sides were
Understanding of the other's views,
question
03
particularly on the
political development.
Subsequently, the
Sir Alan Donald has told your
hinesc Foreign Ministry transmitted further proposals to
British Embassy.
colleagues that I appreciated the positive spirit in which
nase were put
forward and that
recognise that they
represented an advance on previous proposals from the Chinese
He also told you that I wished if possible
reach an understanding on the development of the
structure before and after 1997. I should like
02
political
side.
you to be quite clear about this.
2.
e
I have considered carefully your suggestion that should restrict the number of directly elected seats in
991 to 15,
return for which you would allow for 28
directly
elected seats (one-third) in a legislature of 60 in 1997, which would thereafter increase to 40 per cent in 1999 and 50 per cent in 2003.
3.
visit Co
It was brought home to me very clearly during my Hong Kong that there is overwhelming pressure in Hong Kong from most sectors of the public, including significant sections of the business community, for the introduction of 20 directly elected seats in 1991. It was
impressed on me that failure to do so would risk severe damage to British authority in the Territory in the period
before 1997.