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But the crux of the matter is this. A Chinese official stated with disarming frankness a few days ago that the so-called Provisional Legislature "exists under a legal system different from that of the British Hong Kong LegCo". But it is the continued application of Hong Kong's legal system which has been promised, with no exemptions. Unless every decision about Hong Kong's future by the Provisional Legislature, the Preparatory Committee or whoever is taken and satisfactorily explained in accordance with that system, unless political expediency remains subject in every situation to the rule of law, nobody in Hong Kong or elsewhere will believe that "one country, two systems" can work. That is not what is happening on civil liberties. Those giving this advice appear either to misunderstand the common law or to regard it as dispensable: it is difficult to say which is more ominous, or more shameful.
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That is why these proposals threaten not only Hong Kong's freedoms (important though they are) but also the very viability of the Basic Law and the solemn promises it contains. And that is why the community has a right to expect that the Preparatory Committee will return immediately both to the letter and the much abused spirit of Hong Kong's future constitutional arrangements by rejecting the Sub Group's advice. Hong Kong is entitled to know, before 1 July, whether China still believes in "one country, two systems" or whether it now wants to impose "one country, one system" in contravention of its international obligations and its solemn promises to the six million people of Hong Kong.
End
Transcript of the Governor's media session
The following is a transcript of the media session by the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten; and the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Rt Hon Jeremy Hanley, after visiting the Central and Western District this (Thursday) afternoon:
Governor: I am delighted to have been able to visit Central and Western District again with the Minister, Mr Hanley, who's been on district visit with me before. It's been interesting to talk to the District Board about some of the problems that they face and we're in particular concerned to get an early decision on the Kennedy Town redevelopment and to deal with some of the re-housing problems in housing estates which are being redeveloped.