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(iii)
become "Hong Kong residents"
The draft of the "Basic Law" of the SAR would take time. The views of the Hong Kong people would be sought on the draft. The final version would not be
announced before the talks ended [no date
specified].
3. A further gloss was added by the Communist New Evening Post in an editorial elaborating on Ji's remarks but not directly attributing them to him. The editorial described articles in China's existing consitution which deal with the relationship between the central authorities and local government, observing that the central government's leadership over a local government did not mean monopolising and intervening in everything. The editorial went on to say that while the NPC Standing Committee had powers to annul local statutes and decisions if they contravened the constitution, laws, decrees or resolutions, the "Basic Laws" for the SAR, would provide a basis for non-intervention from the central government so long as the local government acted within its powers.
XU JIATUN
4. Xu's remarks were made in a speech and question and answer session at Hong Kong University on 10 January.
Communist papers
used the full text under headlines stressing that Hong Kong's future was bright. For the most part Xu's speech contained the main, well-known elements of China's plan, much in line with the 12 points listed by Vice-Minister Yao in the formal talks. However, on several points Xu provided some elaboration as compared with earlier Chinese public statements:-
(a) Expatriate and local civil servants in various
government departments, and police officers, may keep their jobs. The definition of their specific duties will be a matter for the SAR Government to decide.
(b)
Local residents will enjoy the freedoms of speech, the press, assembly, association, ineluding the right to
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