TNAG-1307-FCO40-1664-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 129

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Reference...

3. You asked what types of arrangement already exist for Autonomous Regions. The basic documentary sources are the Consitution and the Organic Law for Local People's Congresses and Governments. In addition you should know that the NPC Nationalities Committee is the process of drafting a Law on National Regional Autonomy (Yang Shangkun in December 1982). The Constitution devotes a special section to the Organs of Self-Government of National Autonomous Areas the main provisions are:

a.)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

Persons of the local nationalities must have places in the leadership of People's Congresses of the Autonomous Regions, and the administrative head must be a citizen of one of the local nationalities (Articles 113, 114).

People's Congresses in these areas may enact legislation in the light of the political, economic and cultural characteristics of the local nationalities. (Article 116)

The organs of self-government hav financial 'autonomy All state revenues gathered in the area staff be managed by the local authorities. (Article 117).

The organs of self-government 'independently' administer economic development and educational, cultural, health and other affairs. They 'protect and cull through' the cultural heritage of the nationalities. (Articles 118, 119).

They may organize local public security forces for the maintenance of public order (Article 120).

The local language will be employed in the administration (Article 121).

In practice despite these constitutional provisions, it would appear that autonomous regions are administered in very much the same way as provinces. This is clearly suggested by the way in which the Organic Law for local government makes no distinction between provinces and autonomous regions. Even under the Constitution the main difference in administration terms is that the government organs in the autonomous regions exercise their functions'

'independently' (a concept which is not defined). I could find no evidence of autonomous regions organising local public security forces. With regard to financial autonomy, I believe this is in fact largely a meaningless idea as the autonomous regions are in receipt of large financial subsidies from the centre. (This is certainly the case in Tibet, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia. I could not find conclusive evidence for Xinjiang or Guangxi).

4.

In

Autonomous Regions are established in those areas which have a substantial 'national minority' (ie not ethnic Chinese) population. They tend to be in the more backward parts of the country. addition to the five autonomous regions at provincial level (Guangxi Zhuang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia Hui, Tibet, Xinjiang Uygur). There are also autonomous 'zhou' (an administrative unit larger than a 'county') and autonomous counties in other provinces. The main advantages that accrue to these areas are in the protection

CODE 18-77

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