TNAG-1441-FCO40-1925-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 17

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after a year, the Government is not allowed to take any initiative in

political development.

Overcaution makes further reform difficult

Over the past year, China has time and again put pressure on the British and Hong Kong Governments via the Joint Liaison Group and various diplomatic channels, strongly protesting that the political reforms have exceeded the boundary provided for by the Sino-British

Joint Declaration.

The accusation of 'not doing things according to

the book' raised by XU Jiatun, Director of Hong Kong Branch of New China News Agency, is only an emergence and a summing up of China's making known its position. Later, though JI Pengfei, Director of the Chinese state council's Hong Kong and Macau Office, visited Hong Kong as invited by the Governor in a bid to show the friendly relationship between China, Hong Kong and Britain, the restlessness of Hong Kong people does not subside. And after that incident, the Government is

all the more close-mouthed.

Though China has full assurance of success, some unexpected

trouble may arise. To forestall the. Government's rash action, it has been decided that drafting of the Basic Law on the part of constitution should be discussed earlier than planned. The position of leader and follower has been exchanged and from now on Government's political reform has to be guided by the Basic Law. It was the original thought that reforms to be introduced as a result of the 1987 political review

would be the last move the Government can launch. But now it is

obvious that this step cannot be taken forward. At that time political

commentators have taken the Government to task for too late and too

little a reform, and the prediction has unfortunately come true.

Overcaution is a great danger and is instanced here. Given no forward political reform, the one to be most affected is the Legislative Council.

A smooth transition is certain

Some people who are keenly attached to Hong Kong have pinned their high hope on the few ambiguous wordings provided in Annex I of the