2
authorities to unwind or unravel it, it would send messages out to the
international community that they did not approve of this type of
democracy?
(Mr Maude) Because it would be open to the Chinese authorities to do
that and we did achieve a substantial increase in the amount of democracy
in the Basic Law subsequently after 1997 and that was as a result of a
tough set of discussions with the Chinese which they fulfilled, against, it
is worth remembering, the background of last autumn and winter which were
not (if I can put it delicately) propitious circumstances for persuading
the Government of the People's Republic of China that an increase of
democracy was. a very desirable thing. So there was a very tough set of
discussions which were successful and in which we moved the process, I
believe, considerably further forward. I can see the attraction in the way
in which Mr Rowlands puts it: if there is the possibility of there being a
change, why not try and bank it now. All I can say is if one sought to try
and bank it now it would make it very much less likely it would be
achieved.
33.
That is a matter of negotiating nerve, I suppose, in a sense,
because equally, the events of the last 12 months helped to underline the
tremendous value and importance of getting rooted political, democratic
institutions established in Hong Kong before 1997, and just as in the
Administrative.
Special Autonomous Area the economic base is different from China, so will
the political and democratic institutions be very different from those in
China.
(Mr Maude) As indeed they will be. They will be hugely different.
34.
They will be very different compared to what they were.
The whole system
(Mr Maude) No, I am sorry, that is way off the mark.
of law and government in the Special Administrative Region would be
23
+
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.