TNAG-1434-FCO40-1917-Hong-Kong-leading-personality-Sir-Yue-Kong-Pao--businessman-1986 — Page 157

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CONFIDENTIAL

SIR Y K PAO'S VISIT TO BRITAIN: JUNE 1986

(b) HONG KONG: BASIC LAW

Background

1.

Sir Y K was invited by the Chinese to become a

Vice-Chairman (one of 8) of the Basic Law Drafting

Committee (BLDC) in June 1985. The BLDC has 59 members (23 from Hong Kong) and is chaired by Ji Pengfei, Director of State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Office. The Hong Kong

members of the BLDC have established a

Consultative Committee (BLCC) in the territory.

has 180 members from a wide cross section of Hong Kong

society, including 15 expatriates.

Law

Basic

The BLCC

2. We have welcomed the Chinese decision to consult Hong Kong people on a wide basis the drafting of the Basic

Law.

on

3.

The second meeting of the BLDC took place in Peking from 18-22 April. A draft "structure" of the Basic Law was approved and drafting can now begin in earnest.

"structure"

discussion.

substantially was

All

amended text which provides a reasonable framework

Basic Law in which all the

Declaration should be able

accommodated. The Chinese took

and to show

genuine debate

views.

This draft

following amended

lively

voted for the Hong Kong participants

for the

provisions of the Joint

to

be satisfactorily some pains to accommodate responsiveness

Hong Kong

to

CONFIDENTIAL