TNAG-1626-FCO40-2240-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Macau-1987 — Page 17

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Also in Annex I, the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration stated that the majority of the members of the Macau SAR legislature would be returned through elections while the Sino-British agreement said only that the HK SAR would be constituted through elections. Commercial Radio-Chinese quoted a member of the Chinese negotiating team, Ke Zhengping, as saying that a small portion of the seats in the Macau SAR legislature would be appointed by the future chief executive after a consultation process.

The Economci Journal went on to point out that Annex I to the Sino-British Joint Declaration had stipulated that two international conventions on human rights would continue to be applicable in HK while the Sino-Portuguese pact had not mentioned the two conventions.

However, the Macau agreement had given an assurance to protect the interests of offsprings of the Portuguese in Macau. The HK agreement had made no reference to the interests of British offsprings in HK.

Also in Annex I, the Macau agreement had stated that the traditions and cultural heritage of of the Portuguese in Macau would be protected in accordance with the law. The HK agreement had no such provisions.

Furthermore, the HK agreement had stated that troops sent by the central government would be stationed in the HK SAR. The Macau agreement stated only that the central government was responsible for

the defence of the Macau SAR.

In the Portuguese memorandum on nationality, it was stated that Portuguese passports issued in Macau would continue to be valid. Holders of such passports would have the right of abode in Portugal. In the British memorandum, it was stated that there would be a new document for the BDTCs in HK. The new document did not entitle its

holders to the right of abode in UK.

Annex I to the Macau agreement stipulated that those born in Macau and those Portuguese who had resided in Macau for seven years or more would be entitled to permanent Macau ID cards. The HK agreement had not

mentioned UK citizens in HK.

REACTION

There were mixed reactions in Macau to the agreement. The Chinese community generally reacted favourably while the minority Portuguese

circles were cautious.

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The HK Standard noted that emotions ranged from fear, anxiety, complacency to sheer indifference in Macau yesterday. The man in the street was by and large indifferent. But the Macanese those of mixed descent were worried.