TNAG-1398-FCO40-1870-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1985 — Page 39

GRS 1150

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

CONFIDENTIAL

ети

TOP

KTHU 040121

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

13 DEC 1985

DESK OFFICER

TELNO 2794

OF 110455Z DECEMBER 85

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED: BASIC LAW

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

In

THE DECEMBER EDITION OF THE MIRROR MAGAZINE, PUBLISHED TODAY, CARRIED TWO ARTICLES BY MR. KOO SING-FAI, WHO IS KNOWN TO BE A

PURVEYOR OF CHINESE OPINION. THE FIRST ARTICLE CRITICIZED THE

DEVELOPMENTS IN REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE IN

HONG KONG : IN PARTICULAR IT CRITICIZED THE DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS

RAISING THE POWER AND STATUS OF THE LEGISLATURE ABOVE THAT OF THE

EXECUTIVE. THE SECOND ARTICLE, ENTITLED DRAFT BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE BASIC LAW, SET OUT THE WRITER'S PROPOSALS ON THE FUTURE

GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, WHICH ARE SUMMARIZED BELOW.

THE SELECTION OF A CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND ITS POWERS AND

FUNCTIONS

2. (A) THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE SHOULD BE CHOSEN BY AN EXECUTIVE ADIVSORY ASSEMBLY. THE ASSEMBLY SHOULD BE COMPOSED OF REPRESENTATIVES OF A BROAD SPECTRUM OF THE COMMUNITY WITH A BIAS TOWARDS THE CAPITALIST CLASS. IT SHOULD HAVE ABOUT 100 SEATS, AND ITS MEMBERS SHOULD BE SELECTED BY THE HONG KONG MEMBERS OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMIT- TEE FROM AMONGST NOMINATIONS BY SPECIFIED AND NON-SPECIFIED ORGANIZATIONS AND BY INVITATION, THE ASSEMBLY MAY NOMINATE CANDIDA- TES FOR THE POSITION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE: SUCH CANDIDATES MUST SECUPE THE SUPPORT OF MORE THAN 20 MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY. AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE LIST OF CANDIDATES, THE ASSEMBLY WILL FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS COLLECT THE VIEWS OF ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WILL THEN RECOMMEND A CANDIDATE BY VOTING OR BY DEMOCRATIC CONSULTATIONS FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CENTRAL PEOPLES' GOVERNMENT.

(B) THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE WILL SERVE A MAXIMUM OF TWO TERMS, EACH OF EIGHT YEARS DURATION. TOGETHER WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR POLICY DECISIONS. HOWEVER, THE EXECUTIVE ADVISORY ASSEMBLY WILL HAVE TO BE CONSULTED BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE/EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BEFORE DECISIONS ARE MADE, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE SHALL MAKE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE, AND SHALL CONSULT THE LEGISLATURE ON MAJOR ISSUES. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE MAY DISSOLVE THE LEGISLATURE, SUBJECT TO THE PRIOR AGREEMENT OF THE EXECUTIVE ADVISORY ASSEMBLY BY A MAJORITY VOTE.

CONFIDENTIAL

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