TNAG-2711-FCO40-3917-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-and-Par-1993 — Page 94

British Government put this to the Chinese Government on several occasions at a senior level, most recently in September 1992. But the Chinese position remains that this is impossible because the Basic Law cannot now be changed before 1997.

4.

The Governor's proposals for the 1995 elections therefore set out alternative ways of meeting Hong Kong people's

repeatedly-expressed desire for more democracy, while

remaining within the terms of the Joint Declaration and the

Basic Law. .The main elements are:

Voting age to be reduced from 21 to 18.

Voting system for geographical constituencies to be single seat, single vote.

An independent Boundary and Election Commission to be set up. Franchise of functional constituencies to be greatly

extended, to include entire working population (2.7 million).

District Boards to be all-elected (at present a proportion of their membership is appointed).

-

Any

- Election Committee (undefined in the Basic Law) to be itself

composed of elected members (eg District Board members).

registered elector to be eligible for election.

Response to the proposals

5.

But

At

These proposals were very well received in Hong Kong. the Chinese reacted with hostility, mounting a strident propaganda campaign against the Governor personally and putting pressure on businessmen and Legislative Council members. first they insisted the Governor should withdraw his proposals, and refused to discuss them or to suggest any alternative ideas. They maintain that the proposals contravene the Joint

Declaration, the Basic Law and agreements reached between the

British and the Chinese Governments in early 1990. We do not accept those claims, and independent legal advice has since

dev,rep.gov.BACKBRIEF.JRB

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