TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 89

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THE CHINESE STUE HAD LATER MADE IT VERY CLEAR ON SEVERAL

OCCASIONS THAT CHINA WOULD NOT COMMIT ITSELF IN ADVANCE TO ANY CHANGE

S

TO BE MADE DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER

O OT THESE WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE BASIC LAW. IN THE CHINESE

EW, THE SERIES OF REFORMS WE WERE INTRODUCING FOLLOWING PUBLI- CATION OF THE WHITE PAPER WERE NEITHER MODERATE NOR PRUDENT.

(KE ADDED THAT HE DID NOT MEAN THAT WE DID NOT WANT TO BE PRUDENT, SIMPLY THAT WE WERE NOT PRUDENT ENOUGH). THESE CHANGES COULD NOT

BUT AROUSE CHINESE CONCERNS. HE WOULD TALK FURTHER ABOUT THESE AT

A LATER STAGE.

10. (A) CLOSE CO-OPERATION WAS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE FOR ENSURING

PROSPERITY AND STABILITY IN HONG KONG DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD

AND THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997. THE JLG HAD WORKED

WELL TO THIS END SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT. IT WAS PRECISELY ON THIS

BASIS OF MUTUAL TRUST THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD SUGGESTED AN EXCHANGE

OF INFORMATION AND CONSULTATION IN THE JLG ON THE REFORM OF GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE. AS THEY HAD SAID BEFORE, THE CHINESE SIDE

DID NOT INTEND AND HAD NO INTEREST IN INTERFERING IN THE ADMINISTRATI

ON

OF HONG KONG DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD. THE CHANGES CONSEQUENT

UPON REFORMS WERE MAJOR AND FUNDAMENTAL IN NATURE. THEY DID NOT

FALL WITHIN THE CATEGORY OF THE DAY TO DAY ADMINISTRATION OF HONG

KONG, AS WE WOULD REALISE IF WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT CALMLY. THEY WENT

FAR BEYOND THIS AND HAD A BEARING ON STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IN THE

DRANSITION PER

ON THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF THE SAR AND ON THE

WORK OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE. IT WOULD THEREFORE BE

IRRESPONSIBLE OF THE CHINESE SIDE NOT TO RAISE THE SUBJECT IN THE

JLG. GIVEN THE TERMS OF ANNEX 11 TO THE JOINT DECLARATION, THE

JLG WAS THE APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR CONSULTATIONS.

(B) KE REFERRED TO OUR CONCERNS ABOUT REACTION IN HONG KONG AND

THE EFFECT ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

THE CHINESE SIDE BELIEVED THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WERE QUITE

READY FOR POSSIBLE DISCUSSION OF THE SUBJECT AT THE JLG. THERE WAS EVEN AN OPEN DEBATE IN THE PRESS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DISCUSSION

AT THE CURRENT MEETING. AS TO CONCERN ABOUT THE AUTHORITY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, ONE REASON WHY THE CHINESE HAD RAISED THE SUBJECT FO

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DISCUSSION WAS PRECISELY TO PRESERVE THE AUTHORITY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. IF WE CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS AT REFORM OF THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, THE END RESULT WOULD PROBABLY BE IN CONTRADICTION WITH THE BASIC LAW. HOW WOULD THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HANDLE SUCH A CONTRADICTION? WOULD SUCH A SITUATION BE LIKELY TO INCREASE OR

перослое

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