TNAG-1754-FCO40-2474-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 133

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draft as this has evolved.

8

Few constitutional lawyers would relish

such a public drafting exercise. Other

ways might have been tidier. But the Chinese

authorities recognise the need to retain the

confidence of Hong Kong people in the drafting

process and to involve them fully in it. We

very much welcome this approach.

The same open-minded approach is now being

applied to the process of public consultation.

The Basic Law Consultative Committee have

mounted an extensive publicity campaign to

collect views among Hong Kong people. The

Chinese authorities have made clear that the

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