TNAG-2493-FCO40-3625-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1992 — Page 159

2

Reference

Chinese reactions

(26)

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than mute!

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Mr Ricketts

CHINESE

CHINESE REACTIONS TO THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS

1. I have been struck by the fact that the Chinese reaction to the Governor's constitutional proposals although very uncompromising in nature has been almost completely restricted to a small number of issues.

Dogs that did not bark

2.

There has as far as I have been able to detect been no Chinese response on the following issues: The lowering of the voting age to 18; removal of CBF from Exco; The establishment of an independent boundary and election committee; abolition of appointed seats to the Municipal Councils; additional responsibilities for the District Boards and Municipal Councils; and restating the case for amending the Basic Law; Governor's Questions in Legco. In addition there has been a surprisingly mute Chinese reaction to the proposal for Single Seat-Single vote constituencies.

3.

Almost all of these are proposals that we or Hong Kong have in the past advised would lead to a strong Chinese reaction. I do not think that Chinese views have moderated. Some of these issues are such "motherhood" (eg lowering the voting age and Governor's Questions) and perhaps the Chinese have feared to oppose them given the support that they have received in the community. Some of them (such as the presence of CBF on Exco) I suspect the Chinese may feel that what the Governor does now is irrelevant since they will have the ability to reverse them post 97 without any backlash in Hong Kong.

4. I do not think we should assume from this silence that the Chinese do not have difficulties with these questions, or that they do not intend to raise them with us if, and when, we talk to them about the details of the 1995 elections. However the Governor has achieved a minor victory in getting these issues out into the open without the Chinese reacting to them. It will be a lot harder for them to oppose these proposals in early 1993 when they have failed to do so now.

kt 5kut

RAJ Bunten

3 November 1992

012/4.

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ستا

In

CODE 18-77

There must be

Chinese

Proverb

to He effect Had the greater pain

c. M. Mcris

мм Savades

drives out the

Jesser!

? M. Punte

Thanks.

Ufeht

Boint.

Relish 3/4