TNAG-2461-FCO40-3582-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Commonwealth-countries-1992 — Page 46

COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION (CPA) MEETING WITH MR LENNOX-BOYD, 21 MAY

HONG KONG: BACKGROUND NOTE

1.

Hong Kong's relationship with the Commonwealth after 1997 is a delicate matter. We do not want to cut off the possibility of some informal links, eg between educational institutions or individual academics, being maintained. But the formal position is that after 1997 Hong Kong becomes part of China and hence ineligible for Commonwealth membership. Any suggestion that membership of any sort could continue after 1997 will provoke an angry reaction from China. could make it more difficult for the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region subsequently to get agreement for links of an individual or informal nature.

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2. Mr Michael Ho from Hong Kong will be one of the CPA delegates. He is a member of the United Democrats of Hong Kong (UDHK), and it is possible he may raise the issue of Hong Kong's Commonwealth connections post-1997 as a means of keeping up international interest in China's handling of democracy and human rights in Hong Kong.

Democracy in Hong Kong

3.

Mr Ho may also raise the issue of democracy in the run-up to 1997. The UDHK, led by Mr Martin Lee, is active in campaigning for more directly-elected seats than the 20 currently agreed with China for the 1995 Legislative Council elections. (They want 30, 50%).

4. We are committed to trying to persuade the Chinese to amend the Basic Law (the Constitution of the future Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) to allow for more seats. It is in fact virtually certain that China will refuse to agree. If we were to increase the number of seats unilaterally, without agreement with China, it is extremely unlikely that the 1995 Legislative Council would be allowed to complete its full 4-year term through 1997 to 1999. This would cut against our policy to provide for HK a transition with as much continuity and certainty as possible.

5.

It will be for the new Governor, together with the Secretary of State, to decide on the timing of our approach to the Chinese and what our reaction should be to their response.

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