TNAG-1404-FCO40-1879-Future-of-Hong-Kong-National-People-s-Congress-1985 — Page 22

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GKS 200

KESTRICTED

FROM PEKING 011117Z APR 85

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 444 UF 1/4/85

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

RESTRICTED

PIRATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS (NPC): HUNG KONG

-HKK040/27

Mr Powelly

- 2 APR 1985

R

I might prompt Mr freshwater to write again!

RIP214

1. NPC STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN AND POLITBURU MEMBER PENG ZHEN MET JOURNALISTS FROM HONG KONG AND MACAU ON 29 MARCH. HIS REMARKS IN RESPONSE TO THEIR QUESTIONS WERE CARRIED ON THE FRONT PAGE UF PEUPLE'S DAILY THE FOLLOWING DAY. PENG SAID THAT:

(A) AFTER THE JOINT DECLARATION MAD UNDERGONE EXAMINATION AND APPROVAL BY THE NPC NOT UNE WUND OF IT OR ITS THREE ANNEXES WOULD SE ALTERED,

(B) THE CURRENT MPC SESSION WOULD DISCUSS AND DECIDE ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DRAFTING COMMITTEE FOR THE BASIC LAW.

(C) THE COMPOSITION OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE WOULD BE DECIDED

BY THE NPC STANDING COMMITTEE AFTER WIDE CONSULTATION.

(V) ASKED IF HONG KUNG PEOPLE WOULD PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMITTEE,

膂

PENG SAID THAT IT WOULD NOT DU' IF THEY DID NOT (NOT) PARTICIPATE,

(e) THE QUESTION OF THE INTERPRETATION OF THE BASIC LAW HAD NUT

YET BEEN DISCUSSED BY THE NPC OR ITS STANDING COMMITTEE, BUT PENG'S PERSONAL VIEW WAS THAT THE POWER OF INTERPRETATION SHOULD REST

WITH THE STANDING COMMITTEE.

(F) THE ESTABLISHMENT OF M. CAPITALIST HONG KONG SAR WAS NOT IN

CONTRADICTION WITH CHINA'S CONSTITUTION. ARTICLES 31 AND 62 UF THE CONSTITUTION GAVE THE NPC THE NECESSARY POWER TO ESTABLISH AN SAK

AND DETERMINE ITS SOCIAL SYSTEM. SOCIALISM WOULD BE PRACTISED ON

THE MAINLAND, WHILE HONG KONG WOULD PRACTISE CAPITALISM. TO ALLOW

HÙNG KONG'S SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS AND LIFESTYLE TO REMAIN UNCHANGED WAS TO PROCEED FROM REALITY. AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SAR, HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD RUN HONG KONG THEMSELVES.

RESTRICTED

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