4.
Ms Christine Loh: Thank you Mr President. The Chief Secretary just told us that in the area about co-operation with the Chief Executive Designate, that there was some exchange on possible modalities. I wonder if the Chief Secretary could expand upon that? And further, she did point out two particular areas.
She mentioned that there must be effective administration in Hong Kong and also that civil servants should remain in their posts. Could she explain whether these were the modalities that she put forward or whether these are modalities that the Chinese Government has accepted?
CS: Mr President, I think I have made clear in my main reply that although we had a brief discussion of the modalities, we did not reach any final agreement and I do not expect, at one meeting, to be able to reach agreement on what is after all a very important and complex issue.
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There are various options, clearly, in terms of ensuring continuity and stability in the civil service. Our preferred option would clearly be and as I have pointed out in my main reply for principal officials designate to remain in their posts; for the Chief Executive Designate to be adequately and strongly supported in terms of both resources and particularly manpower; for there to be extremely close co-operation and communication between the Chief Executive and his team and all principal officials designate.
The President: I am a bit surprised that you did not respond to Ms Loh's Freudian slip.
CS: I was too busy, Mr President, listening to the triple-barrelled question.
Mr Yum Sin-ling (in Chinese): Thank you Mr President. Of course if we had a second power centre before 1997, i.e. a provisional legislature - and I am sure the Government won't object to that - but could it be possible that under circumstances or to a certain extent, you could undertake to assist the provisional legislature by indirectly recognising the provisional legislature? Was that ever touched upon?
CS: Mr President, I think our immediate concern is what happens in the lead up to 1 July 1997. In that respect, both Mr Qian Qichen and Mr Lu Ping have made it abundantly clear that there will not be a second centre of power in Hong Kong and that the effective administration of Hong Kong will not in any way be undermined. Indeed, Mr Qian made it quite clear that this side of 1997, the only people and organisations who will exercise power would be the Governor, the present Legislative Council and the Privy Council.