TNAG-2168-FCO40-3105-House-of-Commons-Foreign-Affairs-Committee-inquiry-into-Hong-1990 — Page 55

Indirect elections

E

4. The Committee would like to know how indirect elections

will work, eg who will be able to stand, how large the

constituencies will be, etc. Details are set out in the

attached note, which Mr Maude may wish to hand over to the

Committee.

Chief Executive: Selection

5.

Article 45 of the Basic Law states that the ultimate

aim is the selection of the Chief Executive by universal

suffrage. This is welcome although the Basic Law makes

clear that progress towards this aim must be gradual and

orderly.

In the interim there are two provisions for selecting

the Chief Executive:

6.

(a) The decision of the National People's Congress of 4 April prescribes the formation of the first Hong Kong SAR

Government, including the selection of the Chief Executive.

This involves a Selection Committee of 400 members who will

recommend the candidate for the first Chief Executive

through local consultations or through nomination and

election after consultations.

(b) Subsequently Annex 1 provides for the following

method for selecting the Chief Executive. This will be by a

broadly representative Election Committee composed of 800 members who will vote in their individual capacities by secret ballot on a one person one vote basis. Candidates for Chief Executive must be nominated by not less than 100

members of the Election Committee.

7. It is essential to the maintenance of confidence in Hong

Kong that the head of the first Hong Kong SAR Government

should be seen to be representative of the community. We