TNAG-1238-FCO40-1551-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 151

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FM HONG KONG 190448Z MAY 83

TO ROUTINE BRUSSELS

TELEGRAM NUMBER 8 OF 19 MAY

AND TO UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, CG NEW YORK INFO F C 0, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES

MKK04011

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

3 1 MAY 1983

DESK OFACE INDEX

PA

PLCISTRY

Taken

CMILE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG : CHINESE PEOPLE'S CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE (CPPCC)

1. A LIST OF 47 PERSONS FROM HONG KONG AND MACAU WHO HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO THE CPPCC WAS PUBLSHED IN THE PRESS HERE ON 9TH MAY.

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2. THE CPPCC IS DESCRIBED IN THE LATEST VERSION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE PRC AS A BROADLY REPRESENTATIVE ORGANISATION OF THE UNITED FRONT, WHICH HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ROLE AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO .... IN THE STRUGGLE FOR MODERNISATION AND FOR THE REUNIFICATION OF THE COUNTRY''. THE CPPCC ALSO HAS

ITS OWN CONSTITUTION WHICH LAYS EMPHASIS ON ITS UNITED FRONT ROLE IN THE FUNCTION OF GAINING SUPPORT FOR THE POLICIES AND ACTIONS OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THE CONSTITUTION STATES EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO STRENGTHEN TIES AND UNITY WITH THE COMPATRIOTS IN HONG KONG AND MACAO AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO BUILDING AND REUNIFYING THE

MOTHERLAND'',

3. THE CPPCC'S NATIONAL COMMITTEE MEETS AT THE SAME TIME AS THE

NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS (CHINA'S PARLIAMENTARY BODY) AND WILL NEXT ASSEMBLE ON 6TH JUNE. HOWEVER THE CPPCC HAS NO POWERS OF

ANY KIND AND HAS NEVER HAD ANY.

4. THE NEW CPPCC NATIONAL COMMITTEE HAS AROUND ONE THIRD FEWER

MEMBERS THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE WHICH LAST MET IN FULL SESSION IN

1978 (2008 AS COMPARED TO 2900 BEFORE). THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE

CLASSIFIED AS COMMUNISTS HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM 60% TO 40% OF

THE TOTAL. AT THE SAME TIME THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN REPRESENTATION OF MINORITY NATIONALITIES, THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY,

HONG KONG AND MACAU COMPATRIOTS'' (WHO INCREASED FROM 20 TO 47)

AND RETURNED OVERSEAS CHINESE. FOR THE FIRST TIME, FOREIGNERS WHO HAVE TAKEN CHINESE NATIONALITY ARE INCLUDED.

5. THE 47 HONG KONG AND MACAU DELEGATES INCLUDE MANY OF THE 20

WHO FORMED PART OF THE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE AND WHO HAVE LONG

STANDING LEFT WING ASSOCIATIONS. MANY OF THE NEW ONES DO NOT.

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