TNAG-2133-FCO40-3048-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 9

Background

1.

Given the unique position of Hong Kong and that there has been no question of its becoming an independent state, there has been little public interest in the past in developing an election-based representative government. Instead public opinion has expressed itself through an extensive system of consultative boards and committees system which has served Hong Kong well.

2.

a

Direct elections on a limited franchise were introduced

at local level in the early 1970s. Local elections now take

place on a geographical constituency basis with a broad franchise including all residents aged 21 years who have lived in Hong Kong for 7 years or more. Elected representation at central level (the Legislative Council) began in 1985 on an indirect basis, with 12 members (out of 56) being elected from 'functional' constituencies based on major professional and occupational groups and 12 by an electoral college of local representatives. The present composition of LegCo is: 27 appointed by the Governor, 3 ex-officio members and 26 indirectly elected.

3. The decision to progress towards a directly elected element in LegCo was taken in a Hong Kong Government White Paper in 1988, which envisaged 10 directly elected seats in LegCo in 1991. But after the events in Tienanmen Square in June 1989 there was increased pressure in Hong Kong for a faster pace of democratisation. However in the draft Basic Law, the Chinese had allowed for only 15 directly elected seats before 1997. A period of tough negotiations with China resulted in agreement being reached to introduce 18 directly elected seats in 1991 and at least 20 in 1995, rising to 24 seats in 1999, 30 in 2003 and with the

possibility of full direct elections in 2007. The Government hope that in time the Chinese will agree to accelerate the pace of democratisation. The best way to achieve this will be to make a success of the elections next

year.

PATACX/1