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Nevertheless, according to the principle of "one country,
two systems" laid down in the Joint Declaration, the power of the HASAR Government is derived from Article 51 of the Constitution of
the People's Republic of China. The HKSAR Government must be responsible not only to Hong Kong people, but also to the National People's Congress and the Central Government of China.
A number of political commentators in Hong kong worry that
in case London moves up the time for the "transfer of power to Hong Kong people" as a result of the further development of representative Government, the power may fall into the hands of those who oppose communism in the name of democracy. Should these people refuse to be controlled by London on the pretext that the authority of the Hong kong Government is firmly rooted in Hong kong, the British Government would be unable to revert the sovereignty of Hong Kong to China in July 1997 in compliance with the provisions of the Joint Declaration because the Hong Kong Government might say London has no
right to do so. How would London handle such an embarassing situation?
After its visit to China, a trade delegation of the U.K. House of Commons submitted a report to Parliament in October, strongly requesting the Government to put an end to the short-sighted policies
with regard to Sino-British relations so as to develop long-term
relations with China and open up the China market.
Two Kinds of Views among Hong Kong Government Officials
Is the representative Government a "shortsighted" policy? Opinions differ. However, after Timothy Renton replaced Richard Luce as FCO minister with special responsibility for Hong Kong, Hong Kong Government officials have been heard to comment on the territory's prospects and future political system one after another in October.
This is something unusual. From their comments, which are
contradictory, one can vaguely perceive the controversy between two different lines of thinking in both London and Hong Kong and their effort to hold sway so as to exert influence on the policy decision
of Timothy Renton and the Prime Minister.
/The Officials who/....
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