consistent with both the letter and the spirit of the Agreement
which provides that "the legislature of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region shall be constituted by elections."
In any event, "Convergence"
long a watchword
is now no
employed by both Chinese and British officials
longer an issue. The Chinese have disclosed that, no matter how
the pre-1997 legislature is produced, it will be dissolved in
1997. At that time, a "provisional legislature" is to be chosen
by a grand electoral college.
The concept of a "grand electoral college" is dangerous.
Newspaper reports have suggested that the Hong Kong Government
was behind such a proposal. Whether or not such a suggestion is
accurate, this concept of a grand electoral college is now being
considered by the Drafting Committee and, in fact, it has been
proposed that such an electoral college be responsible for
"electing" half the members of the future legislature.
that would be a barely disguised continuation of the appointment
system and would constitute a clear violation of the intent of
the Agreement.
If so,
Hong Kong is undergoing a crisis of confidence of the
quietest nature. No degree of vocal reassurance emanating from
the officials of the Hong Kong Government, or members of the
Executive and Legislative Councils can muffle the sound of people
of the middle class
the entrepreneurs, businessmen and
professionals
feet.
-
quietly and methodically voting with their
Recent immigration figures underscore this point with
greater eloquence than can any amount of political bombast
projected by a doomsday prophet on his soap box.
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