TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 221

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stability. Up to 30 June 1997, as discussed above, HMG would retain the ultimate authority. After 1 July 1997 the Hong Kong SAR would enjoy the autonomy defined in the Joint Declaration.

9. All the powers now the responsibility of the Governor which

would not be exercised by the Chief Executive after 1997 would be

retained by the Governor until 1997. The Governor's position would

in some respects be similar to that of a Governor in the last (fully

internally self-governing) phase before independence of a colony: he

would remain responsible for defence and foreign affairs, and in the

last resort for security, but day-to-day internal administration

would be in the hands of the local government. After 30 June 1997

some of the Governor's powers (eg in the areas of defence and

foreign relations) would pass to the Central People's Government:

others (eg the powers of disallowance and the power to override the

actions of the Chief Executive on the instructions of HMG) would

end.

D.

Method of Selection

10. The present Chinese position is that the first Chief Executive

should be chosen before 1997 by consultation, whatever the method to

be used subsequently. The Chinese do not yet seem to have

considered who should be consulted or how the consultation exercise

should be mounted.

11. At present the indications are that the Chinese would not agree

to the selection of the first Chief Executive by election. (A major

factor in their thinking must be that in practice an election would

have to be conducted in Hong Kong while the territory was still

under British administration.) There would however be great

advantage, in terms of confidence in Hong Kong, if the main features

of the method of selection to be used after 1997 could be tested out

in advance, for the selection of the first Chief Executive.

would assist him by ensuring that he entered office with a

demonstrable degree of support from the people of Hong Kong. should put these arguments to the Chinese in due course.

This

We

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