TNAG-1843-FCO40-2618-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 37

WOZAPA

2. BASIC LAW

(a) CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE

But we

Drafting of Basic Law is a matter for Chinese Government. have the right to satisfy ourselves that its provisions fully accord with terms of Joint Declaration.

We have been following drafting process very closely and have had fruitful dialogue with Chinese authorities throughout drafting process. In particular we have sought to ensure that Chinese authorities are aware of concerns of Hong Kong people about the draft.

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Since the Joint Declaration came into force, we have had many discussions with the Chinese authorities in a wide variety of

contexts:

For my part, I have met my Chinese opposite number on 9 occasions. We meet every year at the UN General Assembly. We have also had meetings around the world when our paths have crossed: in Brussels, Berne, Bangkok, Tokyo and during the State Visit to China in 1986.

The Minister of State, Lord Glenarthur, met his Chinese opposite number, Vice Foreign Minister Zhou Nan, during his visit to China in 1988. The Vice Foreign Minister will be in Britain next week on an official visit. Zhou Nan also visited Hong Kong in early March and had talks with the Governor.

The Chairman of the Basic Law Drafting Committee, Ji Pengfei, has visited Hong Kong three times and held discussions with the Governor and other Hong Kong Government officials. Mr Ji was joined on his

two most recent visits in 1988 by other mainland members of the Basic Law Drafting Committee. They were thus exposed to a wide range of Hong Kong opinion in many meetings and discussion sessions. I understand that plans are already being made for mainland BLDC members to visit Hong Kong again during the second period of consultation on the Basic Law which is now underway.