TNAG-1357-FCO40-1798-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 134

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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5. THE STRUCTURE ENVISAGED ABOVE IS BASED ON THE SEPARATION OF THE

EXECUTIVE, THE LEGISLATURE AND THE JUDICIARY. BUT THE POSITION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE WILL BE ABOVE THE EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE

AND JUDICIAL-AUTHORITIES. THE ROLE OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE WILL BE

SIMILAR TO THE PRESENT GOVERNOR : HE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE BOTH TO

HONG KONG PEOPLE AND TO THE CENTRAL PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT. THE

CENTRALIZED AUTHORITY OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE IS THE ONLY MEANS OF

ENSURING A HIGH DEGREE OF EFFICIENCY IN GOVERNMENT, AND MAINTAI-

NING THE FREE MARKET ECONOMY OF HONG KONG. THE ELEVATED POSITION OF

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE ENSURES THAT HE WILL NOT BE A TOOL OF THE BIG

CAPITALIST GROUPS. THIS ARRANGEMENT WILL ALSO AVOID THE UNDESIRABLE

CONSEQUENCES OF A POPULARLY ELECTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE, WHO WILL BE

BOUND TO HAND OUT ''FREE-LUNCHES TO PLEASE HIS CONSTITUENTS. AN

EFFECTIVE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM WILL ENSURE EFFICENT ADMINISTRATION

AND WILL BE INDEPENDENT OF THE INFLUENCE OF POLITICAL PARTIES. THE

PRESENT SYSTEM OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS A GOOD SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT

THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THE RESOURCES OF THE

COKMMUNITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS NEEDS, AND SHOULD THEREFORE BE

RETAINED AND STRENGTHENED.

POLITICAL PARTHES

6. THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG IS NOT RIPE FOR POLITICAL PARTIES. THE CAPITALIST CLASS IS NOT POLITICALLY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO FORM

A COHERENT, DISCIPLINED AND ORGANIZED POLITICAL PARTY. THUS,

THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF PARTY POLITICS IN HONG KONG WILL MERELY GIVE

RISE TO A LARGE NUMBER OF SMALL POLITICAL GROUPS WHICH ARE LOOSELY

OPGANIZED, WITHOUT POPULAR BASE AND WITHOUT POLITICAL CADRES OF

VARIOUS RANKS. THESE GROUPS WILL EXERT THEIR INFLUENCE BY MAKING

USE OF THE MASS MEDIA TO ESTABLSIH THEIR OWN FEARLESS'' AND

''DEMOCRATIC'' IMAGE. THIS WILL LEAD TO ENDLESS CONTENTION ON ALL

ISSUE, AND VICIOUS COMPETITION. TO GAIN POPULARITY, THEY WILL MOBILIZE THE LOWER-PAID TO ACT AGAINST THE HONG KONG SYSTEM OF ALLOCATING RESOURCES, AND WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO INCREASED EXPENDITURE ON WELFARE AND UNCONTROLLED EXPANSION OF THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. THESE WILL LEAD TO POLITICAL CHANGES AND ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES. THUS, THE ADOPTION OF THE WESTERN PARLIAMENTARY, PARTY-POLITICS SYSTEM WILL FRIGHTEN AWAY CAPITALISTS, AND END UP WITH

PEKING HAVING TO STEP IN.

CONCLUSION

7. HONG KONG PEOPLE RULING HONG KONG'' IS A DEMOCRATIC AUTHORITY

GRANTED BY PEKING TO HONG KONG PEOPLE. IN EXERCIZING THIS AUTHORITY, HONG KONG PEOPLE MUST KNOW THEIR LIMITS, WHICH APE

(A) NOTHING MUST BE DONE WHICH WILL IMPINGE ON THE SOVEREIGNTY

EXERCIZED BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND ON CHINA'S TERRITORIAL

INTEGRITY: AND

3

CONFIDENTIAL

(o)!

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