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was a body comprising people of different political representations and individuals, but with the aim of promoting China's cause and acting as an adviser to the NPC. Whereas in the past two decades the CPPCC was dominated by communist members, who represented 60 pc of total membership, the body today was more representative, according to a report from Beijing, and communist members now accounted for 40 pc of total membership. Of added significance was the fact that the present chairman of the national body was the country's top leader, Mr. Deng Xiaoping. One of those elected, Professor Ma Meng, a retired HKU professor, said he was "most honoured" and promised to do his best for the benefit of HK people; he was approached two months ago by the NCNA on the possibility that he might be elected. He said the 1997 problem might have influenced the election of more people from HK, but he doubted whether enlarged local representation meant a takeover of HK by China before 1997. He thought the committee meetings were to increase under- standing of HK and he guessed that HK would enjoy economic independence.
Nuclear power plant: The Standard reported on 5 May that the HK Government might be ready to bargain with China for continuation of British administration after 1997 by playing off China's need for fuel against HK's surfeit of it. The story was picked up from the 'Guardian' which said that when HK's latest oil and coal fired generator was completed in 1987 it would bring China Light & Power Company's total capacity to 6 456 megawatts which analysts maintained far exceeded the territory's needs. China's proposed N-power plant in Guangdong would help fuel her modernisation programme, but in order to pay for it she wanted China Light to buy 60 pc of the energy. This arrangement required a franchise from the HK Government which, said the 'Guardian', was stalling amid high-powered exchanges between London and Beijing to finalise details. Other observers believed that Britain's chances of supplying plant for the project were dwindling as the HK Government dragged its feet. The paper commented that analysts said the N-power project was almost entirely of benefit to China - which only needed to supply a large piece of land, construction materials and cheap labour since it expected that HK consumers would foot the bill. There had been suggestions that the HK Government intended to use the proposed project to bargain for the continuation of administration. On the N-power project, the SCMP and HK Standard both reported that the HK Government was considering forming a joint venture with the two power companies and possibly China to buy and distribute the power it produced. A senior Government official said the Government had been asked to acquire equity in the proposed venture and had already commissioned a merchant banker in London (Lazards) to explore the financial implications of the whole concept. The consultant would report around August on currency, technical and financial arrangements. He said as HK would be the biggest consumer of power produced by the plant its voice had to be heard. The costs of China Light's involvement in the project would not be passed on to local consumers; and the Government would not consider direct participation in building the Daya Bay plant. The International Herald-Tribune on 5 May carried a UPI report headlined: "China hints it will buy French A-plant". It said Premier Zhao Ziyang and President Mitterrand would reach an accord on the nuclear reactor sale, quoting Premier Zhao as saying there was a strong chance of reaching an agreement. The report said while it appeared almost certain France would sell the reactor, there would be competition with Britain over fitting out the plant which would supply energy to southern China and HK by the late 1980s.
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