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In general, I found in London considerable and growing interest in Hong Kong and the handover - interest coupled with optimism about Hong Kong's economic prospects, but concern at some of the recent actions by China on the political front. The announcement this week by the Legal, Legal, Sub-Group of the Preparatory Committee will, I fear, have done little to dispel those worries. Britain and the Hong Kong Government have made very clear where they stand on the Sub-Group's proposals to undermine Hong Kong's Bill of Rights and to restore outdated ordinances which are in conflict with the Bill of Rights and the International Covenant.
I would be happy to take Honourable Members' questions on the latter subject, as well as on issues arising from my visit to London.
End
Governor's question-and-answer session
Following is the transcript of the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten's question-and-answer session in the Legislative Council today (Thursday):
Mr Cheung Bing-leung (in Chinese): Mr Governor, under the original through-train model, for certain laws which need to be localised, amended or adapted, they should first go through the JLG channel so that before July 1, 1997, the Hong Kong Government would introduce such Bills into this Council and we will pass it into law. But now, the Chinese Government as well as the Preparatory Committee has indicated that the Provisional Legislature will go through the three readings of such legislation before July 1st 1997. Does it mean the model originally proposed is a failure?
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Governor: Well, I am not entirely sure what it's proposed that the Provisional so-called Legislature is going to do. But as the honourable gentleman knows, if it purports to legislate - even if that is localising laws if it purports to legislate before 30 June, that action is almost certain to be the subject of legal challenge after 30 June. We are still proceeding with our localisation programme which has gone pretty well. It has been one of the more successful areas of the work of the JLG. I think I am right in saying that there are only 8 localisation items which still need to be agreed with the Chinese side in order for all localised Bills to be enacted by June 1997. So we have made pretty good progress and I hope we can continue to do so through those channels which are agreed between Britain and China.