TNAG-2449-FCO40-3565-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 14

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MDLIAN 7161

THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE SOVEREIGN POWERS. THEY ARGUED THAT WHILST HONG KONG SHOULD TRY ITS BEST TO PRESERVE ITS WAY OF LIFE, IT MUST ALSO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT HONG KONG WOULD REVERT TO CHINA IN 1997. THEY URGED THE BRITISH AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENTS TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION THROUGH A SPIRIT OF FRIENDLINESS AND CO-OPERATION. NGAI SHIU-KIT WARNED AGAINST TRYING TO OVERTHROW THE BL UNDER THE GUISE OF POLITICAL REFORM.

5.

THE VIEWS OF THE INDEPENDENT MEMBERS WHO SPOKE WERE DIVIDED. SAMUEL WONG CRITICISED THE PROPOSALS FOR TAKING NO ACCOUNT OF CHINA'S VIEW, AND WARNED THAT AN OVER ZEALOUS DRIVE FOR DEMOCRACY WOULD PUT ECONOMIC STABILITY AT RISK. ELSIE TU WAS OF THE VIEW THAT THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION WAS TO ACT WITHIN THE BL, EVEN IF THE LATTER WAS LESS THAN IDEAL. SHE REGRETTED THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD NOT CONSULTED LEGCO AND THE COMMUNITY BEFORE ANNOUNCING HIS PROPOSALS. SHE ARGUED THAT LEGCO WOULD HAVE TO BE COURAGEOUS AND SAID NO/NO TO THE PROPOSALS IF ECONOMIC STABILITY WAS AT STAKE.

6. ON THE OTHER HAND, VINCENT CHENG ARGUED THAT ALL SIGNS WERE THAT OUR ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS REMAINED VERY STRONG. HE CAUTIONED, HOWEVER, THAT IF THE CURRENT ROW ESCALATED AND SPILT OVER INTO THE ECONOMY, INVESTORS' CONFIDENCE WOULD BE AFFECTED. SIMON IP ROBUSTLY REFUTED RECENT CHINESE STATEMENT ON CONTRACTS ETC WHICH STRADDLED 1997, NOTING THAT IT HAD NO BASIS WHATEVER UNDER THE JD AND THE BL.

7.

FS SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. HIS MAIN POINTS WERE THAT OUR ECONOMY CONTINUED TO BE STRONG AND SOUND: THAT THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS WERE NOT CONFRONTATIONAL BUT WERE TRYING TO ENSURE A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS TRANSITION: THAT THE PROPOSALS WERE MODEST AND WERE FOR DISCUSSION: THAT WE WELCOMED ALTERNATIVES: AND THAT DISCUSSION ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT MATTER SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN A CALM AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER.

PATTEN

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