TNAG-1283-FCO40-1635-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 197

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7. ONCE A SYSTEM OF INDIRECT ELECTION TO THE LEGISLATIVE AND

EXECUTIVE COUNCILS FROM A BODY OF CANDIDATES WHO HAD

THEMSELVES BEEN DIRECTLY ELECTED TO LOWER LEVEL BODIES HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED, THE WAY WOULD STILL BE OPEN TO MOVE TOWARDS DIRECT

ELECTIONS AT A LATER DATE IF THIS COURSE WAS FAVOURED BY THE

HONG KONG COMMUNITY.

FACTORS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT

Redacted under

FOI exemption

27(1)

3. IN ASSESSING THE RIGHT FEATURES FOR ANY NEW SYSTEM, THE FOLLOWING

FACTORS NEED TO BE TAKEN. INTO ACCOUNT:

(A) THE ELECTIVE SYSTEM IN HONG KONG IS IN ITS INFANCY. OF THE

2.7 MILLION QUALIFIED TO REGISTER 33 PER CENT HAVE DONE SO AND

OF THOSE 39 PER CENT PARTICIPATED IN THE 1981/82 URBAN COUNCIL AND

DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS:

(9) IT IS LIKELY TO TAKE TIME FOR A SUFFICIENTLY LARGEBODY OF SUITABLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION TO EMERGE:

(C) THE ATTITUDE OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN

CONSIDERED A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO THE INTRODUCTION OF A MORE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG. THE CHINESE HAVE

NOW INDICATED THAT THEY ENVISAGE SOME FORM OF ELECTIVE OR

CONSULTATIVE PROCESS FOR THE ELECTION OF THE GOVERNMENT/CHIEF

EXECUTIVE POST-1397. THE CHINESE HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED CALLS

BY GROUPS IN HONG KONG FOR A GREATER DEGREE OF DEMOCRACY.

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HOWEVER, THE CHINESE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY

SEEK TO FRUSTRATE ALL MOVES IN THE DIRECTION OF GREATER DEMOCRACY:

(D) THE NEED TO AVOID A RAPID POLARISATION OF THE COMMUNITY, WITH

THE DANGER OF POLITICAL RIVALRIES (E.G. PRO-CHINA AND PRO-TAIWAN)

IRRELEVANT TO HONG KONG'S REAL CONCERNS:

(E) THE ADVANTAGES, IN TERMS OF STABILITY, IN BUILDING AS FAR AS

POSSIBLE ON EXISTING INSTITUTIONS:

(F) THE NEED TO DEVISE A SYSTEM WHICH CAN CREDIBLY BE REPRESENTED

AS GIVING EXPRESSION TO THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

POSSIBLE NEXT STEPS

9. MEMBERS ARE CONSIDERING XCX(84)4 ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF

THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM. THE PROPOSAL TO EXTEND

THE ELECTIVE SYSTEM AT URBAN COUNCIL LEVEL THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT

OF A SECOND REGIONAL COUNCIL, WITH AT LEAST HALF ITS MEMBERS DIRECTLY ELECTED, WOULD CREATE A TERRITORY-WIDE CONSTITUTENCY

BASED ELECTIVE SYSTEM AT 30TH DISTRICT BOARD AND PEGIONAL

COUNCIL LEVELS. THE SAME CONSTITUENCIES, OR COMBINATIONS OF THEM,

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SEORET

/ COULD