XN000022-1984-10-15 — Page 5

MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1984

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BASIC LAW MUST HAVE LOCAL PARTICIPATION

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ALEX WU

THE BASIC LAW SHOULD HAVE THE PARTICIPATION OF HONG KONG PEOPLE AND BE DRAFTED AT AN EARLY DATE, THE HON ALEX WU SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IF THESE TWO POINTS COULD BE CLAR IF IED, THEN IT WOULD HELP GREATLY IN PUTTING PEOPLE'S MINDS AT EASE, MR WU SAID, NOTING THAT NO DATE FOR THE BASIC LAW HAD BEEN GIVEN IN THE DRAFT AGREEMENT.

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION ENDORSING THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, HE MADE SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS REGARDING THE BASIC LAW.

+WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF HONG KONG PEOPLE IN THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW, IT CAN BE SAID THAT WE ARE ON THE FIRST STEPS TOWARDS 'HONG KONG PEOPLE RULING HONG KONG, HE SAID.

HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD EXTEND, THROUGH THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO CHINA, OPEN INVITATIONS TO CHINESE LEADERS, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS WHO WERE LESS FAMILIAR WITH HONG KONG, TO COME HERE FOR VISITS, SO THAT THEY MIGHT SEE THE ACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCES HERE AND GET AN INSIGHT INTO HONG KONG'S POLITICAL SYSTEM, LIFE STYLE AS WELL AS THE BASIC LAW THAT THE PEOPLE HERE EXPECTED.

HE APPEALED TO THE PUBLIC TO GIVE THEIR VIEWS ON THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW AS FAR AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO BASE ON.

+WE SHOULD VOICE OUR VIEWS WITHOUT ANY RESERVATION WITHIN THE SPECIFIED PERIOD, HE SAID, ADDING THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR HAVING RESPONDED SWIFTLY TO THE QUESTION OF HOW TO KEEP THE VIEWS CONVEYED CONFIDENTIAL.

HE BELIEVED IT WAS MOST IMPORTANT THAT THE DRAFT AGREEMENT STRESSED THAT THE LIFE STYLE OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED.

HE SAID THE IMAGINATIVE CONCEPT OF ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS+ HAD PROVIDED A BREAKTHROUGH FOR THE TALKS AND HE HAD HIGH HOPES IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION.

+1 SINCERELY HOPE THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE CAN TRULY GOVERN HONG KONG SO THAT EVEN AFTER 2047, WE CAN STILL ENJOY LIFE UNDER THIS UNIQUE SYSTEM, HE SAID,

HE ADDED THAT THE DRAFT AGREEMENT BROUGHT AN UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG,

HE SAID THAT THEY MUST CHANGE THE IR PAST ATTITUDE OF BEING A +PASSENGER+ AND LEARN TO BECOME A GOOD +NAV IGATOR RIGHT NOW.

+1 HOPE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL FACE SQUARELY THE INEVITABLE REALITY AND DEAL WITH THE AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG IN A POSITIVE AND OPTIMISTIC MANNER, HE SAID.

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