TNAG-1722-FCO40-2415-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1988 — Page 186

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Job No. 166880

HANSARD/JUL14:08

1904

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL · · 14 July 1988

emphasise this too much. Hong Kong people are used to a liberal lifestyle, but they are also used to a high degree of self-discipline and a strict rule of law. That is why I think the Chinese Government can be less worried and more trusting. It should let the Hong Kong people have a free hand in running Hong Kong so that we will be able to implement successfully the conept of `one country, two systems'.

Sir, if we are to implement the unprecedented political concept of 'one country, two systems', the Hong Kong SAR must have a high degree of self autonomy. This is clearly spelt out in section 3 paragraph 2 in the Joint Declaration: “The Hong Kong Special Special Administrative Region will be directly under the authority of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China and will enjoy a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs which are the responsibility of the Central People's Government'.

I think this is very important, because it clearly defines the jurisdiction of the Hong Kong SAR Government. That is why I think we should include the original wording of this article in the Basic Law.

Now I will talk about the question of nationality. Sir, in the draft Basic Law we are not given a clear definition of the term ‘Chinese national". We should be given an explanation as to whether this means all people holding a Chinese passport, or people of the Chinese race. I think that in order to maintain stability and prosperity in Hong Kong we must pay attention to this problem, and to emigration of our professionals. So I think we should enhance the confidence of people who intend to emigrate, and also encourage people who have emigrated to come back to Hong Kong and work. One of the feasible methods is to acknowledge and respect the foreign nationality of people of Chinese race who are holding passports but who would like to come back to Hong Kong to stay, or for work. These Chinese emigrants are really like. married daughters, and China is like their parents. If these daughters are willing, they should be welcome to their maternal home to stay on for a while, or stay permanently to help with the family and contribute their assets. On the other hand, they should be free to go always, back to their husbands and families. So I think that under the principle of ‘one country, two systems', we should allow Hong Kong people with more than one passport to keep their foreign nationality and freely travel in and out of Hong Kong. This will be helpful to our prosperity, so I hope that our drafters will consider this seriously. Sir, the Constitutional Development Panel of OMELCO has already studied all the articles in detail. Yesterday, Mr. Andrew WONG spoke on the articles on which we have reached consensus. I am a member of the panel; I shall say no more on these articles other than that I fully support what Mr. WONG, but as a member coming from the industrial and commercial sector I would like to say something about the articles in Chapter V, that is the chapter on economy.