On behalf of the people of Hong Kong the Foundation urges you to press China to revise the Basic Law to permit more democratic government in Hong Kong. The OMELCO Consensus should be the minimum aimed for in such negotiations. The Chief Executive of the SAR should be directly elected by the people of Hong Kong.
2.
Preserve Hong Kong's autonomy
The Joint Declaration and the Basic Law provide for "a autonomy" for Hong Kong, except in matters concerning and defence.
high degree of foreign affairs
While we welcome the fact that agreement has been reached on the airport. the Memorandum of Understanding has nonetheless raised concern among the people of Hong Kong that the principle of "a high degree of autonomy" is being breached. The Memorandum effectively gives China a veto over airport projects not listed in the Annex to the Memorandum: it also limits borrowings up to 1997 and guarantees a certain level of reserves at that date. Certain provisions give China a special role in the Airport Authority, and we have just received China's objections to the Hong Kong Government's choice of members for the Authority.
If China interferes in the day to day running of major projects in Hong Kong, this is not only a breach of the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law but also an obstacle to the maintenance of prosperity in the territory. It is not only in Hong Kong best interests, but also those of China and Britain. that Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy is preserved. We ask you to impress this point upon the Chinese officials that you meet.
We also ask you to give a larger role to Hong Kong's own representatives in negotiations with China. We will have to negotiate with China directly ourselves after 1997, when Britain is no longer the sovereign power. However we cannot wait until 1997 before beginning this process. There should be Hong Kong representatives on the Joint Liaison Group (JLG), and the JLG's decisions should be put to Legco for ratification
3. Release more land
The Joint Declaration restricts the release of new land by the Hong Kong Government to 50 hectares a year until 1997 restriction is the main cause of high land and Kong. It is also causing social instability unable to afford their own homes.
(Annex III, 4). This property prices in Hong as people find they are
The Joint Declaration provides for the Land Commission to increase the 50 hectare limit [Annex III, 7(c)]. We urge you to press for a review of the limit by the Land Commission.
4. Vietnamese boat people
Kong, in most cases with
little chance
of
You will be aware of the large numbers of Vietnamese Boat People (VBP) housed in camps in Hong resettlement. As you "boat" people in fact rail through China.
are probably also aware, many of these so-called make their way to Hong Kong overland by road and
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