TNAG-0936-FCO40-1155-Visit-of-Norman-Fowler--Minister-of-Transport--to-Hong-Kong--1980 — Page 41

IN CONFIDENCE

VISIT TO HONG KONG BY THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, RT HON NORMAN FOWLER MP, APRIL 1980

BACKGROUND BRIEF

CONSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL BACKGROUND

1. Hong Kong consists of three areas:

(a) Hong Kong Island, which China ceded to Britain in

perpetuity in 1852;

bere

(b) Kowloon and Stonecutters' Islands, which, similarly ceded

in 1860; and

(c) the New Territories, which China leased to Britain for 99

years in 1898.

5.0

Potal land area is 404 square miles: the population is approx 4.8 million

(of whom 98% may be described as Chinese on the basis of language and culture).

2.

Hong Kong is a Crown Colony and the Secretary of State for Foreign and

Commonwealth Affairs is directly responsible to Parliament for its government.

Hong Kong is itself administered, by a Governor, an Executive Council and a

Legislative Council.

3. The Governor has wide powers under the constitution, including the power

to make laws (called 'Ordinances') for the "peace, order and good government

of the Colony". The Crown reserves the right of vee for all ordinances

enacted in Hong Kong and the right to legislate by Order in Council.

no post-war British Government has exercised this power.

In practice,

4.

The Executive Council (Exco") comprises:-

(a) 5 Ex-officio members (the Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary,

the Commander of the British Forces, the Attorney-General, and the

Secretary for Home Affairs); and