CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1751
OF 29O50OZ AUGUST 35
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND THE BASIC LAW.
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HKC Oil
29 AUG 1905
DEST OP
INDEX
INTRY
Chon Taken
173
1. MISS TAM (MEMBER OF EXCO AND ALSO THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING
COMMITTEE (BLDC)) HAS TOLD ME OF A PRIVATE DISCUSSION SHE HAD
WITH XU JIATUN, DIRECTOR OF THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY AND SENIOR
MEMBER OF THE CHINESE OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENT IN HONG KONG WHO IS
ALSO A MEMBER OF THE BLDC, ABOUT THE USE OF DEMOCRATIC
CONSULTATION'' VERSUS ELECTIONS AS METHODS OF SELECTING THE
FUTURE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG.
2. MISS TAM'S DISCUSSION AROSE OUT OF HER PERCEPTION THAT THERE
WAS A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE OF APPROACH BETWEEN WHAT THE HONG
KONG GOVERNMENT WAS ALREADY DOING AND MIGHT WISH TO DO AS THE
RESULT OF THE REVIEW IN 1987 OF THE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM IN
HONG KONG AND WHAT THE CHINESE WERE SAYING. THE CHINESE WERE
LAYING STRESS ON ''DEMOCRATIC CONSULTATION' WHICH PUT THEM
ON A DIFFERENT COURSE FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND EVEN FURTHER
AWAY FROM THE PRESSURE GROUPS, SECTIONS OF THE PRESS IN HONG KONG
AND SOME GROUPS IN PARLIAMENT. THESE WOULD ALL BE PRESSING FOR
DIRECT ELECTIONS TO ALL SEATS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, EITHER
IN 1988 OR IN THE FIRST ELECTION IN THE 1990'S.
3. THE PURPOSE OF HER TALK WITH XU (WHICH FOLLOWED DISCUSSION IN
THE BLOC IN THE MEETING IN PEKING IN JULY) WAS TO GET A CLEARER
PICTURE OF CHINESE INTENTIONS. SHE DID NOT GET ANYTHING SPECIFIC
ON HOW THE CHINESE BELIEVED THAT ''DEMOCRATIC CONSULTATION''
WOULD WORK. BUT XU TOLD HER THAT IN THE CHINESE VIEW THE RIGHT
COURSE OF EVENTS WAS FOR BRITAIN TO HAND OVER HONG KONG TO CHINA
IN 1997: IT WOULD THEN SE FOR CHINA TO TRANSMIT AUTONOMY TO THE
PEOPLE OF HONG KONG IN THE FORM TO BE SET OUT IN THE BASIC LAW.
4. XU, AS WE ALREAD KNEW FROM MY TALK WITH HIM IN (APRIL,) IS SUSPICIOUS OF OUR INTENTIONS IN ROOTING POWER MORE FIRMLY IN THE
COMMUNITY AS SET OUT IN THE WHITE PAPER. HE ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN TO MISS TAM OVER THE POWERS AND PRIVILEGES BILL, WHICH
HE DESCRIBED AS AN IMPORTATION FROM THE BRITISH''. FROM WHAT
XU SAID IT SEEMS THAT THE CHINESE SAW IT AS A FURTHER MOVE TOWARDS INTRODUCING THE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM INTO HONG KONG AND IS INTENDED
TO CONSOLIDATE THE POSITION OF THE LEGISLATURE, (WHICH IT WAS). HIS SUSPICIONS EXPLAIN THE SUPPORT GIVEN IN THE LEFT WING PRESS
TO THOSE IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND THE PRESS WHO WERE OPPOSING
ITS PASSAGE IN THE LAST SESSION. THE CHINESE WERE NO COURT
HOPEFUL THAT IF IT COULD BE KILLED IN THAT SESSION IT WOULD NEVER
SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN.
/5.
CONFIDENTIAL
May
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