TNAG-1357-FCO40-1798-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 43

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IT MUST BE FORMULATED UNDER THE PRINCIPLE OF ONE COUNTRY, TWO

SYSTEMS AS WELL AS THE PRACTICAL SITUATION OF HONG KONG. ON THIS

QUESTION WE STILL DO NOT HAVE ANY CONCRETE DESIGN, BLUEPRINT NOR

ANY FIXED PRECONCEPTION.'*

HONG KONG OPINION

6. THERE IS NO UNITY OF VIEW IN HONG KONG ON WHAT SHOULD BE THE

FUTURE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT, ON THE PREFERRED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ITS INSTITUTIONS, OR ON THE METHOD OF CHOOSING REPRESENTATIVES.

ALTHOUGH IT IS FASHIONABLE AMONG THE PRESS AND POLITICAL

COMMENTATORS TO CRITICISE EXISTING INSTITUTIONS THERE IS UNDERLYING THIS A SUBSTANTIVAL DEGREE OF RESPECT AND TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY

IN THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS AND SATISFACTION WITH WHAT HAS BEEN

ACHIEVED UNDER THEM. BUSINESS LEADERS, MANY PROFESSIONALS AND SOME INFLUENTIAL CHINESE NEWSPAPERS ARE OPPOSED TO RADICAL CHANGE AND IN PARTICULAR TO DIRECT ELECTIONS, NOT BECAUSE OF THE CHINESE ATTITUDE, BUT BECAUSE THEY GENUINELY DISTRUST ADVERSAR HAL PARTY POLITICS

WHICH THEY BELIEVE TO BE UNSUITED TO HONG KONG'S TRADITION AND

CIRCUMSTANCES. THEY VALUE CONCENSUS POLITICS'' AND ''GOVERNMENT

BY THE ELITE'. THEY ARE SCEPTICAL OF THE IDEA THAT DEMOCRACY'*

WOULD BE A BARRIER TO CHINESE INTERERENCE: BELIEVING RATHER THAT THE RESULTING INSTABILITY WOULD ENCOURAGE SUCH INTERFEPENCE.

ON THE OTHER HAND ARTICULATE POLITICAL COMMENTATORS, OTHER PROFESSIONALS TRAINED IN WESTERN CONCEPTS, AND THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

PRESS SEE DIRECT ELECTIONS AS THE TOUCHSTONE OF DEMOCRACY AND

WOULD REGARD FAILURE TO INTRODUCE THEM AS SURRENDER TO CHINESE

PRESSURE. BY THE SAME PROCESS OF THOUGHT THEY LOOK TO THE

DEVELOPMENT OF A MINISTERIAL SYSTEM ON THE WESTERN MODEL. THE BULK

OF THE POPULATION ARE CONCERNED, NOT ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF

GOVERNMENT OR ELECTIONS, BUT ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OF THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING, PERSONAL FREEDOMS, THEIR LIFE-STYLE AND FREEDOM

TO TRAVEL.

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7. THERE ARE ALSO INDICATIONS THAT THE CHINESE WISH TO

EMPHASISE THE AUTHORITY OF THE EXECUTIVE AS AGAINST THE AUTHORITY

OF THE LEGISLATURE, HENCE THEIR OPPOSITION REFLECTED IN THE LEFT

WING NEWSPAPER COMMENT AT THE TIME AND IN PRIVATE COMMENT SINCE,

TO THE POWERS AND PRIVILEGES BILL WHICH SOUGHT TO ENTRENCH THE

POWERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.

8. WHAT IS SET OUT IN THE JOINT DECLARATION IS A COMPROMISE BETWEEN WHAT THE BRITISH SIDE REGARDED AS NECESSARY TO CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND TO MEET PARLAMENTARY REQUIREMENTS (THESE

INCLUDED THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ELECTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE: AN

EXECUTIVE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE LEGISLATURE, AND AN ELECTED LEGISLATURE

WITHOUT SPECIFICATION AS TO THE FORM OF ELECTIONS): AND ON THE

OTHER HAND WHAT THE CHINESE SIDE WISHED TO PPESERVE (Þ.E. THE

OPTION OF A CHIEF EXECUTIVE SELECTED BY CONSULTATION, THE RIGHT

TO APPOINT THE PRINCIPLE OFFICIALS OF THE SAR GOVERNMENT ON THE

NOMINATION ON THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, AND NO COMMITEMENT TO DIPECT

- 3 - ELECTIONS).

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