TNAG-1852-FCO40-2627-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 72

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)

Governor of Hong Kong announced in his speech to the

Legislative Council on 11 October that a Bill of Rights

will be enacted to give effect in local law to the

relevant provisions of the International Covenant on

Civil and Political Rights. It is intended that a draft

Bill will be published for public consultation by the end

of this year and draft legislation will be introduced by

July 1990.

8.

The Committee recommends (paragraph 2.13) that the

Government should make clear to the Chinese Government

the strength of feeling in Hong Kong about the stationing

of the PLA in the territory after 1997. The Government

are satisfied that the Chinese Government in no doubt

about the importance of this issue for confidence in Hong

Kong. We do not challenge China's sovereign right to

station Chinese troops in the Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region for the purpose of defence.

The

Joint Declaration provides for this. But we have urged

the Chinese Government to take Hong Kong's sensitivities.

fully into account in their handling of this issue.

(III) Actions Within Hong Kong

9. The Government wholeheartedly share the Committee's

view that the best future for the people of Hong Kong

lies in the continuing prosperity and stability of the

territory (paragraph 3.3). In line with the Committee's

recommendations (paragraph 3.5) the Governor has already

announced the decision of the Hong Kong Government to go

ahead with the construction of the second airport and

ancillary developments, including port expansion and

associated transport infrastructure. These will be the