TNAG-1438-FCO40-1922-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 115

1

аккон RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2 7 FEB 1986

PA

REGISTRY

Action Takers

Translation

Extract from the "Mirror" Issue No. 101 (Dec/85)

1993/E/85

Indratre of

Clinus

Cor Cavs,

The controversy over "major changes" and

"dovetailing"

Aby

by KOO Sing-fai

On 21 November, Director XU Jiatun held a meet-the-press

session for the first time to answer questions raised by reporters.

The questions revolved around the issue of how reforms towards

representative government will dovetail with the Basic Law. Mr Xu

said, "The key to Hong Kong's prosperity and stability lies in

adhering to the Sino-British Joint Declaration. We must adhere

firmly, fully and entirely to the Joint Declaration. To contemplate

deviating from this Declaration will have a negative, or even destructive,

effect. Now, we cannot but become aware of a tendency for people to

deviate from the Joint Declaration. If we anticipate unexpected changes, we should, I think, pay attention to this development."

Xu Jiatun discloses basic facts

On the question of representative government, Mr Xu reiterated

the position of the Chinese government which had been made known to the

public many times before: (1) The representative system was drawn up

by the British; China assumes no responsibility for it. (2) Hong Kong's

political system after 1997 will be determined by the Basic Law for

the Hong Kong Special Aministrative Region enacted by the National

People's Congress of the reople's Republic of China. The constitutional

system which the HKSAR will adopt twelve years from now is a matter

for the Chinese government. The Chinese government will formulate the

Basic Law strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Sino-

British Joint Declaration after fully seeking and listening to the

views of the 5 million >mpatriots in Hong Kong as well as the views

of expatriates who are ong-time residents of the territory.

(89)