TNAG-1440-FCO40-1924-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 193

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provisions of the Sino-British Agreement. Neither will it be compatible

with the "one country, two systems" concept. China will certainly oppose

to it. However, it is definitely not democracy that China is up against, but these people's strategy of "resisting the communists through democracy"

and the creation of division. The crux of the matter is that some people

want to make the provisions of the Sino-British Agreement, which are

beneficial to the unification of China and its territorial integrity, as well

as the recovery of sovereignty, into empty clauses without substance. Proposals

to rush in political reforms, to expand the power of the Legislative Council

to that of a parliament and to empower the Legislative Council to appoint and

recall the Chief Executive are tantamount to creating "a state within a state".

If this continues, provisions in the Sino-British Agreement that stipulate

that the Basic Law shall provide for the political structure and social

systems of the SAR, and that the appointment of the Chief Executive and

principal officials shall be made by the Central Government will become only

a piece of paper.

Why Does China Support Democracy in Hong Kong?

One of the major elements of democracy is that things should be

done in accordance with law and procedures. Under the Sino-British Agreement,

Hong Kong will become a Special Administrative Region. This is within the

ambit of the Basic Law of the People's Republic of China. The political set-

up of the future government is also stipulated in Annex I of the Sino-Pritish

Agreement. When changes are to be made to Hong Kong's political system,

respects should be given to the opinions of the members of the Basic Law

Drafting and Consultative Committees as well as the upwards-and-downwaris

method of consulting the views of the Hong Kong people as announced by the

Chinese Government. Before the Basic Law is formulated, a "rush" move

decide on Hong Kong's political system after 1997 is not in line with the

procedures. In the implementation of the Sino-British Agreement, each

party should adhere strictly to the provisions of the Agreement and the

required procedure. A move made not in line with the rules is a breach

of democracy.

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