TNAG-1470-FCO40-1999-Visits-by-Chinese-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 64

(D)

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

CONFIDENTIAL

7. THERE WERE DIEVERSE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THE METHOD OF SELECTION

AND REMOVAL OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE. THERE WAS MAJORITY SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA THAT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE SHOULD BE ELECTED BY AND/OR FROM

THE LEGISLATURE AND FORMALLY APPOINTED BY CPG. A MINORITY, HOWEVER,

SUPPORTED THE IDEA THAT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE SHOULD BE SELECTED PY

CONSULTATION. AT THE OTHER EXTREME, ONE LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR WAS

REPORTED TO HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE SHOULD BE

DIRECTLY ELECTED BY H.K. PEOPLE. WHICHEVER METHOD IS TO BE ADOPTED,

IT WAS STRESSED THAT THERE MUST BE A WELL-DEFINED PROCEDURE.

MOST PEOPLE SUGGESTED THAT THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD, SUBJECT TO A

MAJORITY VOTE, BE ABLE TO RECOMMEND TO THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT THE REMOVAL OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE.`

(E) ECONOMY AND TRADE

8. COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS EMPHASISED THAT THE BASIC LAW SHOULD

PRESERVE THE CURRENT ECONOMIC FEATURES OF HONG KONG AS FAR AS

POSSIBLE, AND THAT CLOSE ADHERENCE TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT

DECLARATION WAS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAIN INVESTORS' CONFIDENCE.

THEY ALSO PROPOSED THAT THE BASIC LAW SHOULD STATE THAT THE RIGHT

TO HANDLE HONG KONG'S EXTERNAL ECONOMIC AND TRADING POLICIES,

INCLUDING HK'S POSITION IN THE GATT, SHOULD REST WITH THE SARG.

PROVISIONS SHOULD ALSO BE MADE TO MAINTAIN HK'S POSITION AS A

FINANCIAL, SHIPPING, TRADING AND COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE. LOW

TAXATION SHOULD BE PRESERVED TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT. FREE CONVER-

TIBILITY OF THE HONG KONG DOLLAR, ACCESS TO OVERSEAS MARKETS, AND

FREEDOM FROM EXCHANGE CONTROL MUST RE GUAPANTEED. THE HK SHIPOWNERS

ASSOCIATION EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT THE EXISTING SHIPPING POLICY

SHOULD AS FAR AS POSSIBLE BE MAINTAINED, THAT SHIPS PEGISTERED IN HONG KONG SHOULD FLY THE HK FLAG AND EMPLOY LOCAL SEAMEN, AND THAT

HONG KONG'S STATUS AS A FREE PORT SHOULD BE MAINTAINED.

(F) RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS

9. CHENG YIU-TONG OF THE HK AND KOWLOON FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS

SAID THAT THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS STATED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION

SHOULD BE WRITTEN INTO THE BASIC LAW. MAN SAI-CHEONG OF THE HK

AFFAIRS SOCIETY SAID THAT A BILL OF RIGHTS SHOULD BE WRITTEN INTO

THE BASIC LAW.

10. REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SIX RELIGIOUS BODIES EMPHASIZED THE

NEED TO RESPECT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND THAT LOCAL RELIGIOUS

ACTIVITIES AND THEIR CONNECTION WITH INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS BODIES

SHOULD BE MAINTAINED IN THE SAR

-3- CONFIDENTIAL

/u.