TNAG-1438-FCO40-1922-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 56

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Root of controversy over constitution and tactics

employed by both sides

Although the storm has abated for the time being, Hong Kong's political fever arising from the debate on whether major changes or as little change as possible

should be introduced has not yet subsided. It is useful

to look back on how the storm began and developed.

In the months of July, August, September and

October (last year), officials of all levels in the

Hong Kong Government and Umelco members began to talk

about constitutional reforms. These remarks mainly advocated turning the LegCo to a centre of power and the setting up of a ministerial system or committee

system. Some even maintained that the chief executive

and officials at Secretary level can be elected by

the LegCo and that constitutional reforms can be

carried out without consulting Beijing. This is the root of the controversy.

When the director of China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office Ji Pengfei met Hong Kong's

Secretary for District Administration Donald Liao in Beijing on 20 October, he expressly touched on three points : (1) China does not wish to see rapid changes in Hong Kong during the transition period. (2) Consideration should be given to enable the constitutional reforms in Hong Kong during the transition period to converge with the Basic Law. (3) According to the Joint Declaration,

Hong Kong's political system after 1997 will be prescribed by the Basic Law. This is the first tactic employed by China in response to the remarks of the Hong Kong British officials.

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