TNAG-2004-FCO40-2852-Hong-Kong-political-parties-1990 — Page 156

5

CONFIDENTIAL

071357

MDLIAN 9160

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

CORRECTED VERSION

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1449

OF 0408OOZ MAY 90

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HKGO LONDON, HKGO WASHINGTON

INFO PRIORITY HKGO SAN FRANCISCO, HKGO BRUSSELS, HKGO GENEVA INFO PRIORITY HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO TOKYO

(CORRECTED VERSION)

89/ HKB032/1

(37

?

OUR TELNO 1398 AND 3035 OF 1989:

POLITICAL ORGANISATIONS IN HONG KONG

SUMMARY

HKD 011 15

VED

AY 1990

S

G

1. THE POLITICAL SCENE IN HONG KONG HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY AS A RESULT OF THE INTENSE DEBATE AMONG THE VARIOUS POLITICAL GROUPS ON THE PACE OF POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT BEFORE AND AFTER 1997 IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS (IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BASIC LAW AND THE COMPOSITION OF LEGCO IN 1991) AND THE APPROACH OF THE ELECTIONS IN 1991. THE LIBERALS HAVE FINALLY COME TOGETHER TO FORM A NEW POLITICAL ORGANISATION WITH PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS AS ITS MAJOR OBJECTIVE. THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL GROUPS ARE DIVIDED AND A MAJOR ALIGNMENT IS APPEARING, THOUGH NOT WITHOUT ITS OWN PROBLEMS. THE MODERATES SEEM TO BE UNCERTAIN ABOUT THEIR ROLE AND OBJECTIVES. THE LEFT WING FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS HAS PLEDGED TO TAKE AN

ACTIVE PART IN THE ELECTIONS IN 1991.

DETAILS

THE

LIBERALS

2. AFTER PROLONGED DISCUSSION AMONG THE LIBERALS TO FORM A UNIFIED POLITICAL PARTY, THE UNITED DEMOCRATS OF HONG KONG (UDHK) WAS FINALLY FORMED. THE DEVELOPMENT WAS REPORTED IN TELNO 1237. THERE IS A HIGH DEGREE OF CROSS-MEMBERSHIP BETWEEN THE UDHK AND THE THREE MAJOR LIBERAL GROUPS, VIZ THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION FOR DEMOCRACY AND PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD, MEETING POINT, AND THE HONG KONG AFFAIRS SOCIETY, AND OTHER MEMBER ORGANISATIONS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE PROMOTION OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT. ABOUT 30 PER CENT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE UDHK ARE REPORTED TO BE MEMBERS OF LEGCO, MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND DISTRICT BOARDS. THE THREE MAJOR LIBERAL GROUPS IN QUESTION WILL STILL PRESERVE THEIR OWN IDENTITY BUT HAVE REACTED DIFFERENTLY TO THE NEW FORMATION. THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION FOR

PAGE

1

CONFIDENTIAL