CONFIDENTIAL
071357
MDLIAN 9160
HIGHEST GOAL. INSTEAD ITS PRIORITY IS TO PRESERVE THE TERRITORY'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. IT IS INTENDED THAT 50 PER CENT AND 60 PER CENT OF THE FEDERATION'S FOUNDERS WOULD BE MEMBERS OF THE LEGCO, MCS, AND DBS. THE REMAINING MEMBERS WOULD BE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL LEADERS REPRESENTATIVES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS.
8. HOWEVER, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE VARIOUS FACTIONS IS NOT AN EASY ONE. THE PROGRESSIVE HONG KONG SOCIETY (MARIA TAM) IS DRAWN IN MAINLY TO GIVE THE FEDERATION THE NECESSARY GRASSROOTS SUPPORT. STRUGGLE FOR LEADERSHIP IS BEING CONCEIVED AS A PROBLEM AND HU IS SAID TO BE FOR THIS REASON PRESENTED AS ITS LEADER BECAUSE OF HIS AGE, EXPERIENCE, STANDING, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, LACK OF POLITICAL AMBITION.
MODERATES
9. THE PROGRESSIVE HONG KONG SOCIETY WOULD BE FORMING A COALITION WITH BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL GROUP (PARA 7 ABOVE). BUT OTHER MODERATES SEEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS TO REACT TO THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS. A NEW ORGANISATION CALLED THE ASSOCIATION FOR BUILDING A BETTER HONG KONG WAS FORMED IN FEBRUARY 1990 WHOSE OBJECTIVE WAS PURPORTED TO BE A THINK-TANK TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS FACING THE TERRITORY IN ITS TRANSITION TO 1997. CHENG KAI-NAM IS ONE OF ITS LEADERS. IT IS REPORTED THAT THE ASSOCIATION WOULD NOT FIELD CANDIDATES FOR
ELECTION.
PRO-BEIJING ORGANISATIONS
10. AT ITS ANNUAL MEETING ON 22 APRIL 1990, THE 170,000 MEMBER LEFT-WING FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD PARTICIPATE IN THE 1991 ELECTIONS AND IF SUITABLE CANDIDATES COULD NOT BE FOUND WITHIN THE RANKS OF ITS MEMBER TRADE UNIONS, IT WOULD SUPPORT OTHER CANDIDATES WHICH IT ENDORSED.
COMMENTS
11. IT APPEARS THAT UDHK AND THE FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS WOULD AIM TO SECURE AND CONSOLIDATE THEIR SUPPORT AND POWER BASE IN THE GRASSROOTS WITH MAJOR EMPHASIS ON THE DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1991. THE FUTURE OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC FEDERATION AND THEIR INTEREST IN DIRECT ELECTIONS ARE LESS CLEAR. WHILE THE OTHER LIBERAL GROUPS SEE MORE CLEARLY THEIR ROLE IN THE WAKE OF THE FORMATION OF THE UDHK, IT IS INTERESTING TO WATCH THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW HONG KONG ALLIANCE AND HONG KONG FOUNDATION. IN ANY EVENT, THE 1991 LEGCO DIRECT ELECTIONS WOULD LIKELY TO BE KEENLY CONTESTED.
WILSON
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