TNAG-1372-FCO40-1818-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 139

1986-97

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CO.

DENTIAL

DISCUSSIONS AND DRAFTING BY TOPICS.

1988 (BEGINNING) ISSUE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT ON THE DRAFT BASIC

LAW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

1988 REVISE DRAFT.

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1988 (END) DRAFT BASIC LAW TO BE CONSIDERED BY NPC STANDING COMMITTEE, AND THEN ISSUED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

1989 (SECOND HALF)

REVISE DRAFT FURTHER.

1990 (FIRST HALF) NPC TO APPROVE THE BASIC LAW FOR PROMULGATION.

G

6. THERE IS FAIRLY WIDESPREAD CONCERN AMONG THE EDUCATED SECTORS THAT THE POLITICAL REFORMS IN HONG KONG WOULD RUN INTO CONFLICT WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM TO BE LAID DOWN IN THE BASIC LAW SINCE THERE IS NO FORMAL CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG. THERE IS ALSO A FEAR THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL SEEK TO REDESIGN HK'S CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM BY MEANS OF THE BASIC LAW IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT REFORMS THE HK GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE INTRODUCED BEFORE THE BASIC LAW IS DRAFTED.

7. OUR PRESENT THINKING IS THAT THE 1987 REVIEW SHOULD SET THE SCENE FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL SETUP AFTER 1997 SC THAT THE PEOPLE OF HK WILL HAVE TAKEN A VIEW ON A PREFERRED SYSTEM BEFORE THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW IS PRODUCED. THE MAJOR CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES FOLLOWING THE REVIEW WOULD, WE HOPE, BE IN PLACE AND FULLY TESTED AROUND 1990 WHEN THE BASIC LAW IS EXPECTED TO BE PROMULGATED. THERE WILL BE 6 BLDC MEMBERS AND AT LEAST 1 BLCC MEMBER ON THE NEW LEGCO. THEY WOULD PROVIDE A LINK TO ENSURE THAT THE THINKING OF THE HK AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENTS IS NOT GROSSLY OUT OF TUNE OVER THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF HK.

YOUDE

LIMITED

HKD

FED

PS / MR RENTON

SIR

W HARDING

DR WILSON

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CONFIDENTIAL