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THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1989
TURNING TO THE LEGAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEMS, MR CHENG SAID THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY RELIED HEAVILY ON AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY AND LEGAL SYSTEM TO FACILITATE COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS AND IN CASES OF DISPUTE.
HE SAID THERE MUST BE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF COMPETENT JUDGES. THEY MUST NOT BE RESTRICTED BY NATIONALITY AND SHOULD BE PROPERLY COMPENSATED AND CAREFULLY SELECTED SO AS TO ENSURE THE CALIBRE OF THEIR SKILL AND THEIR INTEGRITY.
THE POWER OF INTERPRETATION OF THE BASIC LAW MUST REST WITH THE HONG KONG COURTS, AND THE APPLICATION OF THE CHINESE CONSTITUTION IN THE FUTURE HKSAR NEEDED FURTHER CLARIFICATION AND ELABORATION, HE ADDED.
MR CHENG SUGGESTED THAT THE BASIC LAW SHOULD THE HKSAR WOULD PRACTISE AN OPEN IMMIGRATION POLICY.
STIPULATE THAT
"PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING RESIDENT VISA, WORK PERMIT AND PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS SHOULD BE KEPT SIMPLE ΤΟ FACILITATE THE MOVEMENTS OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS AND INVESTORS, SAID.
HE
SAID
ON THE PUBLIC FINANCE AND TAXATION OF THE HKSAR, MR CHENG THE SAR GOVERNMENT MUST BE GIVEN THE POWER TO SET ITS OWN BUDGET AND DECIDE ON ITS TAX POLICIES.
HE ADDED THAT THE BASIC LAW SHOULD PROVIDE FOR THE HKSAR TO NEGOTIATE TAX TREATIES ON ITS OWN, AND SHOULD STATE THAT TAX TREATIES SIGNED BY CHINA WITH THIRD COUNTRIES WOULD NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE HKSAR.
ON PROTECTION FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, HE SUGGESTED THAT THE BASIC LAW SHOULD BE AMENDED TO GUARANTEE THAT THE HKSAR WOULD CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AGREEMENTS.
TURNING TO THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR CHENG SAID THAT IN LINE WITH MAINTAINING HONG KONG AS A TRULY INTERNATIONAL CENTRE IN THE REGION HE FOUND UNNECESSARY THE RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON FILLING SOME OF THE SENIOR POSTS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE WITH ONLY CHINESE CITIZENS.
"THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE GIVEN THE FLEXIBILITY TO EMPLOY BEST PEOPLE WITHOUT REGARD TO THEIR NATIONALITY OR ETHNIC ORIGIN, SAID.
HE ALSO HOPED THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD NOT PREOCCUPIED WITH THE POLITICS OF CHANGE THAT THEY FAILED TO THE ECONOMIC REALITIES OF HONG KONG'S EMERGING ROLE AS THE AND SERVICE CENTRE OF SOUTHERN CHINA.
THE
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