5.
PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE 1987 REVIEW MAINLY CENTRES AROUND THE POSSIBLE INTRODUCTION OF A DIRECTLY ELECTED ELEMENT INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WHETHER THE GOVERNOR SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM THE PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL HAS SO FAR ATTRACTED LITTLE ATTENTION. THE ISSUE OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IS SEEN BY SOME AS AN INDICATOR OF WHETHER THE CHINESE WILL ALLOW HONG KONG THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY PROMISED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION.
6. THERE IS A FEELING AMONG SOME OF THE MEDIA AND CERTAIN SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS, BEING ANXIOUS TO AVOID CONFRONTING THE CHINESE WILL NOT TAKE A FIRM STAND ON POLITICALLY SENSITIVE ISSUES, BUT THE PROPONENTS OF THIS THEORY ARE RARELY ABLE TO SUBSTANTIATE IT WITH ANY EXAMPLES. SOME IN THE MEDIA ARE UNWILLING TO UPSET THE CHINESE, BUT OTHERS SPOKE OUT STRONGLY ON DAYA BAY AND THEY REPORT FULLY THE VIEWS OF THOSE WHO DISSENT FROM THE CHINESE ON LOCAL POLITICAL ISSUES SUCH AS DIRECT ELECTIONS.
7. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, THE GENERALLY GOOD PICTURE OF CO- OPERATION IN THE JLG AND LAND COMMISSION MAKES AT LEAST SOME CONTRIBUTION TO THE BELIEF THAT THE CHINESE WILL IMPLEMENT THEIR PROMISES. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF CHINESE ORGANISATIONS STEPPING IN WITH INVESTMENT TO HELP MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE IN SELECTED SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY, THE IMPLICATION BEING THAT THEY WISH SERIOUSLY TO CONTRIBUTE TO STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. FINALLY, CROSS-BORDER CO-OPERATION, WITH THE GUANGDONG AUTHORITIES IN PARTICULAR, CONTINUES TO BE HEALTHY.
DAYA BAY
7. SINCE THE SIGNING OF THE CONTRACTS, THERE IS NO LONGER MUCH PUBLIC DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE PLANT SHOULD BE BUILT. THE GENERAL PUBLIC SEEMS RESIGNED TO THE FACT THAT CHINA WILL GO AHEAD REGARDLESS OF PUBLIC FEELING IN HONG KONG. ALTHOUGH THERE
IS STILL PRESSURE FOR CHINA TO TAKE MEASURES TO MAKE THE PLANT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE AND FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO PREPARE CONTINGENCY PLANS, THE EMPHASIS OF THE CRITICS IS SHIFTING FROM SAFETY TO THE LIKELY COST OF ELECTRICITY FROM THE PLANT. THE GOVERNMENT IS STILL UNDER PRESSURE FROM LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO RELEASE FURTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE SAFETY AND ECONOMICS OF THE PLANT. THIS THE GOVERNMENT IS SEEKING TO DO, SUBJECT TO THE NEED TO MAINTAIN COMMERCIAL CONFIDENTIALITY. NEVERTHELESS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND SOME LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL UNOFFICIALS HAVE SUFFERED A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF CREDIBILITY OVER THE AFFAIR, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN UNWILLING TO JOIN IN THE POPULAR CHORUS OF OPPOSITION TO THE BUILDING OF THE PLANT AT DAYA BAY. THERE IS NOW, HOWEVER, A WIDER IF GRUDGING UNDERSTANDING AMONG SOME PARTS OF THE POPULATION OUTSIDE THE MEDIA AND THE PRESSURE GROUPS OF WHAT THE LEGCO MAJORITY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ACHIEVE, AND A DISSATISFACTION WITH ATTEMPTS TO MAKE POLITICAL CAPITAL OUT OF THE ISSUE.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
9. SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF ELECTED ELEMENTS IN SEPTEMBER 1985, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS BECOME MORE LIVELY. UNTIL THE DAYA BAY ISSUE BROKE AFTER CHERNOBYL THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS WORKING HARMONIOUSLY, DEALING WITH A WIDE RANGE OF LEGISLATION AND PUBLIC BUSINESS EXPÉDITIOUSLY AND COMPETENTLY. SENSIBLE SOLUTIONS EMERGED FROM SELECT COMMITTEES ON CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES. SOME MEMBERS ARE NOW ADOPTING A MORE POLITICAL APPROACH, WITH OCCASIONAL OPEN PERSONAL ATTACKS. HEATED PUBLIC DEBATE ON DAYA BAY HAS POLARISED OPINION ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG AS WELL AS ON THE ISSUE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY ITSELF.
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10. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE SPLIT AMONG MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OVER DAYA BAY AND CONCERN OVER ITS IMPLIC- ATIONS BOTH FOR THE FUTURE FUNCTIONING OF THE COUNCIL AND FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM. SOME SEE THE SPLIT AS A NATURAL CONSEQUENCE OF THE INTRODUCTIONS OF AN ELECTED ELEMENT INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WHILE OTHERS ARE CONCERNED BY SUCH CLASHES AND WORRY ABOUT THE STABILITY OF THE COUNCIL. THIS HAS HEIGHTENED THE DEBATE OVER THE DESIRABILITY OF INTRODUCING DIRECT ELECTIONS.
EMIGRATION
11. THERE IS A WIDESPREAD BELIEF THAT MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO ACQUIRE A SECOND PASSPORT OR RESIDENTIAL STATUS OVERSEAS. SUCH STATISTICS AS ARE AVAILABLE, HOWEVER, ON APPLICATIONS FOR AND ISSUES OF IMMIGRANT VISAS IN WESTERN COUNTRIES SUGGEST THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OVER THE PAST 7 YEARS. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF OUTWARD MIGRATION FROM HONG KONG, AS THE LARGE CHINESE COMMUNITIES IN MANY CITIES IN THE US,
CANADA AND AUSTRALIA DEMONSTRATE. CONFIDENTIAL
112.
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