TNAG-1863-FCO40-2643-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1989 — Page 84

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FM PEKING

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INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

BASIC LAW: DISCUSSION IN THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S POLITICAL CONSULTATIVE CONFERENCE (CPPCC).

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MDLIAN 2866

1. THE NCNA ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWS BULLETIN OF 31 OCTOBER CARRIES A REPORT ON A MEETING HELD IN PEKING ON 30 OCTOBER OF MEMBERS OF THE CPPCC'S LAW COMMITTEE AND REUNIFICATION OF THE MOTHERLAND LIAISON COMMITTEE WHO MET TO DISCUSS PROGRESS ON DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW. SPEAKERS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE ASKED THAT THE DRAFT BL BE SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL TO THE THIRD SESSION OF THE 7TH NPC IN MARCH 1990 AS PLANNED. QIAN WEICHANG, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE CPPCC NATIONAL COMMITTEE, SAID THAT THE DRAFT WAS ALMOST READY FOR SUBMISSION. OTHER SPEAKERS CONSIDERED THAT THE DRAFT EMBODIED THE CONCEPT OF ''ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS''. THEY SAID THAT IT CONFORMED TO THE SPIRIT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND, THEREFORE, THERE WAS NO NEED FOR MUCH FURTHER REVISION. SEVERAL SPEAKERS CRITICISED ATTEMPTS TO INTERNATIONALISE THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG AND TO PLAY THE ''SO-CALLED CARD OF POPULAR WILL''.

COMMENT.

2. AT FIRST SIGHT IT MAY SEEM STRANGE THAT THE CPPCC (THE ''POPULAR FRONT''BODY SHADOWING THE NPC) SHOULD BE HOLDING MEETINGS ON THE BL. CHEN ZUOER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE HKMO OF THE STATE COUNCIL SET THIS IN CONTEXT WHEN EHRMAN CALLED ON HIM ON 31 OCTOBER. HE EXPLAINED THAT CHINA HAD RECENTLY ALSO BEEN SOLICITING OPINIONS ON THE DRAFT BASIC LAW ON THE MAINLAND. OPINIONS HAD BEEN SOUGHT FROM PROVINCIAL AND MUNICIPALITY NPCS. SEVERAL SYMPOSIA HAD RECENTLY BEEN HELD IN PEKING, AND THE DISCUSSION MEETING HELD BY THE CPPCC ON 30 OCTOBER WAS SIMPLY THE LATEST OF THESE.

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