TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 64

DON'T VERSTATE for

القلا

NSGEN

Cantigame

24.

CONFIDENTIAL

LOUNDS

@

HABLE.

DISREPUTABLE.

unds disreputabl;

I to HAVE WE?

The Chinese have long been highly suspicious about direct elections (although, as noted below, they maintain to us that they

are not opposed to them in principle). Their concern about the possible effects of direct elections appears to have grown in the past few months, probably as a result of divisions and confrontation

in the Legislative Council over construction of the Daya Bay nuclear plant in Guangdong province of China, near Hong Kong. Hong Kong business leaders in contact with the Chinese tend to oppose direct elections and to tell them so. Moreover, the sub-committee of the

Basic Law Drafting Committee drafting the relevant section of the

Basic Law at present has a substantial majority against direct

even the Hong Kong members are unanimously in

elections.

favour.

Not

A majority agawin? I a

A 198JOR.1

Exchanges with the Chinese

25.

Base)

GAINST (ON BLDE)

In order to overcome this mistrust and lessen the risk of

conflict over the 1987 review and the Basic Law we have sought since

May 1986 to intensify contacts with the Chinese and to establish an

informal dialogue on the issues involved. There have been three

discussions at Foreign Minister level and detailed exchanges between

officials, in which the Governor of Hong Kong has participated.

26.

and the

On general issues connected with "convergence"

drafting of the Basic Law we have managed to put across our ideas

better than we had anticipated. We have passed to the Chinese a

series of papers on various aspects: they have accepted and even welcomed our involvement. We hope this will help to fashion a Basic

Law acceptable and appropriate to Hong Kong.

27.

We have made less headway over the 1987 review.

CONFIDENTIAL |