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PA 01/1
ра
CONFIDENTIAL
OCMIAN 6836
CONFIDENTIAL
OO HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON ♫♪~~
191510Z NOV
GRS 1386
ARRO!!!
26 NOV 1985
AB201
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1822
OF 191510Z NOVEMBER 85
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
M
6836 1
302
MIPT: JOINT LIAISON GROUP: DEVELOPMENTS IN REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT
FOLLOWING IS DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE ON REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT FOR USE IN JLG.
BEGINS
1.
IN RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST OF THE CHINESE SIDE MADE TO
THE BRITISH EMBASSY ON 9 NOVEMBER, VERY HAPPY TO GIVE BRIEFING ON
THE CHANGES TO GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE MADE IN HONG KONG WHICH HAVE
FLOWED FROM THE WHITE PAPER PUBLISHED IN NOVEMBER 1984.
2.
TO PUT THESE IN CONTEXT NECESSARY TO LOOK BACK AT
DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE YEARS. GREEN PAPER OF JULY 1984 LOOKED
BACK TO EARLIER GREEN PAPER OF JUNE 1980. ROOTS OF
REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM IN HONG KONG GO BACK TO 1888, WHEN FIRST
ELECTED MEMBERS TOOK SEATS ON THE SANITARY BOARD, WHICH WAS
PREDECESSOR OF URBAN COUNCIL. LONG TRADITION OF CONSULTATION
WITH PEOPLE OF NEW TERRITORIES UNDER VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVE
SYSTEM, COMPRISING 27 RURAL COMMITTEES WHO ELECT A FULL COUNCIL
OF THE 'HEUNG YEE KUK' EVERY TWO YEARS. HEUNG YEE KUK
ESTABLISHED IN 1926. PROCESS OF BUILDING UP REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE IN HONG KONG HAS THUS BEEN A LONG AND
CONTINUOUS ONE. IN 1968 CITY DISTRICT OFFICER SCHEME INTRODUCED
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CONFIDENTIAL
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