residents and others in Hong Kong.
35.
There is, as the statement of the Vice-Chairman of the NPC quoted at the begining of this article indicates, a difference between the PRC's concept of human rights and that of other states. However much Chinese commentators may stress the concept of one country two systems and or that there are significant differences between the SAR and mainland China in the context of human rights, it is necessary to treat with some reserve statements such as "The Basic Law will be the foundation for protecting the basic rights and freedoms" in the SAR [59] and "dissidents would
be allowed to continue their activities, publish newspapers and magazines and even criticise the Communist Party" [60]
An indication of Chinese distaste for an international law standard for human rights is well demonstrated by their resistence to the Bill of Rights Ordinance [61] and their reaction to dissent, criticism and demonstrations in Hong Kong following Tianamen Square shows how shallow is their. understanding and tolerance of what they put on paper about human rights [62]
Two related factors need to be borne in mind. To be logical, the doctrine of one country two systems cuts both ways; and if the Chinese accept it as inhibiting action on their part in relation to the SAR, it would not be unreasonable of them to expect people in Hong Kong to be correspondingly inhibited about the governmental structures and policies on the mainland. It may well be that the
the price that Hong Kong has to pay for the preservation of its own life style is the acceptance of a measure of self control as regards those structures and policies and, if that cannot be assured volountarily, there could be pressure on the Executive to legislate as the present Legislative Council has legislated to restrict the screening of cinematographic material which may
offence.
cause
Combined with this possibility is the constant
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