TNAG-2493-FCO40-3625-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1992 — Page 64

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MOLIAN

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POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT DURING HIS LONDON TRIP. THE SOURCES SAID THAT SENIOR LEADER DENG XIAOPING, WHO CONSIDERED THE 'ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS' POLICY AS HIS MAIN ACHIEVEMENT, HAD ORDERED THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO COMPROMISE IN THE CURRENT DISPUTE.

SURVEY

25.

SING TAO DAILY NEWS INTERVIEWED 807 PEOPLE ON 2 AND 3 NOVEMBER. RESULTS SHOWED THAT 62 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS BACKED THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED POLITICAL REFORMS DESPITE THEIR REJECTION BY CHINA AND 56.5 PERCENT BELIEVED THE GOVERNMENT

SHOULD PRESS AHEAD IN THE FACE OF CHINA'S OBJECTIONS IF REQUIRED.

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PAPERS NOTED (11 11) A TELEPHONE SAMPLE SURVEY ON 419 RESPONDENTS BY 3 DB MEMBERS. IT SHOWED THAT 40 PERCENT SAID THEY

WOULD SUPPORT THE GOVERNOR EVEN THOUGH THIS MIGHT LEAD TO A DISMANTLING OF THE SYSTEM IN 1997, AND 33 PERCENT WOULD NOT SUPPORT IT. IN ANOTHER TELEPHONE SURVEY BY THE HK ECONOMIC TIMES ON 826 PEOPLE, 32 PERCENT SAID THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD FOLLOW THE BL AND 28 PERCENT SAID THE GOVERNOR'S MODEL SHOULD BE

ADOPTED.

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A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY LEGISLATOR LEONG CHE-HUNG COVERING 782 RESPONDENTS SHOWED THAT 80 PERCENT AGREED TO REPLACING THE

CORPORATE VOTE BY PERSONAL VOTE IN FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS. SOME 80 PERCENT SUPPORTED THAT ALL DB AND MUNICIPAL

COUNCILS MEMBERS SHOULD BE DIRECTLY ELECTED. MORE THAN 90 PERCENT AGREED TO A SINGLE SEAT, SINGLE VOTE SYSTEM IN DIRECT ELECTIONS.

GOVERNMENT/LEGCO COMMITTEE

28. MEDIA REPORTS NOTED (5-6.11) THE CHIEF SECRETARY HAD WRITTEN TO HOUSE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, MRS. ELSIE TU, SAYING THAT IN LIGHT OF MEMBERS' COMMENTS AND IN VIEW OF THE DIFFICULTIES SOME

MEMBERS MIGHT HAVE IN AGREEING TO AN APPROPRIATE MEMBERSHIP FOR

THE COMMITTEE, THE PLAN WOULD BE SHELVED FOR THE TIME BEING.

EXISTING CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATIONS WOULD CONTINUE BUT

SUGGESTIONS FROM MEMBERS FOR IMPROVEMENT WOULD BE WELCOMED. FREDERICK FUNG OF THE ASSOCIATIONS FOR DEMOCRACY AND PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD, QUOTED THE GOVERNOR AS SAYING THAT THE PLAN WAS SHELVED BECAUSE OF LEGISLATORS' OPPOSITION RATHER THEN PRESSURE FROM CHINA. THE MEDIA NOTED (7.11) A FOLLOW UP LETTER FROM THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO LEGCO MEMBERS CLARIFYING THAT THE GOVERNMENT

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