XN000022-1984-10-16 — Page 9

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1964

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SHE BELIEVED THAT AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS+ LINKED BY A CONSISTENT NATIONAL POLICY OF ECONOMIC GROWTH, IT WOULD NOT BE DIFFICULT FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO PERSUADE THEMSELVES TO COME TO TERMS WITH THE AGREEMENT AS AN ACCEPTED AND WORKABLE FRAMEWORK ON WHICH TO BUILD OUR FUTURE.

SHE STRESSED THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG MUST VOICE THE IR OPINIONS ON THE AGREEMENT, DRAWING ATTENTION TO THE INADEQUACIES AND RAISING QUESTIONS WHERE THEY OUGHT TO BE RAISED.

THIS WAS BECAUSE, SHE SAID, THE AGREEMENT SIGNIFIED NOT SO MUCH THE END OF THE NEGOTIATIONS BUT THE BEGINNING OF A MAJOR CHANGE IN OUR HISTORY, AND IF WE ABDICATED OUR RIGHTS AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES NOW TOWARDS OUR FUTURE, WHAT SHOULD BE THE BEGINNING OF A NEW PHASE COULD ONLY BECOME THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR HONG KONG.

MRS CHOW MADE COMMENTS ON FOUR MAJOR AREAS CONCERNING THE AGREEMENT.

FIRSTLY, SHE ASKED WHO WOULD HAVE THE POWER TO DISSOLVE THE LEGISLATURE GIVEN THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN ELECTED LEGISLATURE TO WHICH THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES WERE ACCOUNTABLE?

+ I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THE POWER IS VESTED IN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND NOT IN THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SO THAT THE BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE EXECUTIVE CAN BE GUARANTEED, + SHE SAID.

SECONDLY, SHE SAID IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A HONG KONG INPUT IN DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW, A FREE HAND FOR HONG KONG IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION AND INDEPENDENCE IN ITS INTERPRETATION.

SHE ALSO SAID THAT THE SUGGESTION THAT A BASIC LAW ADVISORY AND MONITORING COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF CHINESE PEOPLE OF INTERNATIONAL STANDING AND REPUTATION BE FORMED TO ADVISE ON THE DRAFTING, IMPLEMENTATION AND SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENT TO THE BASIC LAW SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED.

THIRDLY, SHE STRESSED THAT CHINA MUST GIVE DUE CONSIDERATION TO THE FEAR WITH WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG REGARDED THE STATIONING OF THE PLA HERE AND THE FURTHER FEAR OF POSSIBLE ABUSE IN THE NAME OF NATIONAL SECURITY.

FOURTHLY, SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP SHOULD INCLUDE HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES,

THIS WOULD HELP THE GROUP TO GAIN THE TRUST AND CO-OPERATION OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE AND WOULD ALSO BE SEEN AS A SINCERE EFFORT TO PREPARE HONG KONG PEOPLE FOR TRUE AUTONOMY, SHE SAID.

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