CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 011/3 @ DIST?
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 260830Z FCO
TELNO 698
OF 260221Z APRIL 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
(311)
010250 MDHIAN 2122
MIPT: FAC IN PEKING: CALL ON LIAO HANSHENG (VICE PRESIDENT OF NPC STANDING COMMITTEE).
MAIN THEMES: NPC'S INVOLVEMENT WITH AND COMMITMENT TO THE BL, PROGRESS OF DEMOCRACY IN BOTH CHINA AND HONG KONG.
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DETAIL.
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LIAO EXPLAINED HE WAS ALSO CHAIRMAN OF THE NPC'S EQUIVALENT TO THE FAC. INTRODUCED CURRENT CHINESE POLICIES. CHINA'S OWN POLITICAL SYSTEM EVOLVING TOWARDS SOCIALIST DEMOCRACY AND RULE OF LAW.
3. HOWELL ASKED ABOUT THE NPC'S RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE BASIC LAW. LIAO SAID CHINA WAS SERIOUS ABOUT IMPLEMENTING THE JD, ACHIEVING STABILITY, PROSPERITY AND A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN HONG KONG. THE BL HAD BEEN MUCH AMENDED AND FURTHER OPINIONS WERE BEING SOUGHT. BUT THE CONCEPT OF ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS WOULD BE PRESERVED THROUGH-OUT. THE NPC WOULD STAND BY THIS EVEN WHEN ITS MEMBERS CHANGED (ELECTIONS EVERY 5 YEARS). DENG HAD SAID HONG KONG'S QUOTE INSTITUTIONS AND SYSTEMS UNQUOTE WOULD NOT CHANGE FOR 50 YEARS. IF THIS HELPED HONG KONG'S ECONOMY TO KEEP GROWING IT WOULD HELP THE MAINLAND TOO.
4. HOWELL MENTIONED SOME WORRIES OVER THE BLIN HRC, AND THE IMPORTANCE FOR CONFIDENCE OF CONFRONTING THEM. LIAO SAID HE KNEW A QUOTE MINORITY UNQUOTE WERE WORRIED BUT HE THOUGHT LI HOU AND ZHOU NAN WOULD COVER THESE POINTS. SHORT ASKED IF CHINA'S UNDERLYING AIM ON THE SAR'S POLITICAL STRUCTURE (ANNEXES TO THE BL) WAS TO MOVE TOWARDS FULL DEMOCRACY AND UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE. SHAO TIANREN (LEGAL ADVISER) WAS ASKED TO REPLY. HE SAID THE SAR WOULD HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY AND NEEDED DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. MORE EFFORT WAS NEEDED TO ESTABLISH WHAT HONG KONG OPINION WANTED. PEOPLE WERE STILL DIVIDED, SOME WANTING IMMEDIATE UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE, OTHERS PREFERRING TO GO STEP BY STEP.
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