TNAG-1983-FCO40-2816-Presentation-of-UK-policy-on-Hong-Kong-to-the-media-1989 — Page 45

TV:

THE BASIC LAW

1.

The Joint Declaration provides that the policies of China towards Hong Kong as stated in the Joint Declaration will be

stipulated in a Basic Law and will remain unchanged for 50 years.

2.

The Chinese Government are now engaged in the drafting of the

Basic Law. They have appointed a Basic Law Drafting Committee (BLDC) comprising 53 members, 23 of them from Hong Kong and the

remainder from the mainland. A Basic Law Consultative Committee

(BLCC), consisting exclusively of Hong Kong members representing a broad spectrum of Hong Kong opinion, was established by the BLDC with the task of consulting the Hong Kong public about the draft.

3.

The BLDC has established five Special Groups, dealing with the relationship between the central authorities and the SAR; the economy; the political structure; rights and duties of Hong Kong

inhabitants; and education, culture and social questions.

4.

After more than two years' work, the first draft of the Basic

Law was published in April 1988. A five month consultation

exercise, conducted by the BLCC, was then held in Hong Kong. Two delegations of mainland members of the BLDC, led by senior Chinese officials, visited Hong Kong in June and September 1988, to canvass

public opinion in the territory. The first draft has been extensively revised in the light of the various opinions received.

A second draft was submitted to the Standing Committee of the

National People's Congress (NPC) and then published in February 1989 for further public consultation. The results of this second round

of consultation will then be considered by the BLDC. The final

version of the Basic Law will be enacted and promulgated by the NPC

in 1990.

5.

form.

Much of the first draft of the Basic Law was in satisfactory

Some parts of it quoted the Joint Declaration verbatim. But

it contained a number of deficiencies which were identified during

the consultation period. The second draft contains many improvements, reflecting concerns expressed during the first consultation period. The Chinese authorities have made it clear

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