TNAG-2711-FCO40-3917-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-and-Par-1993 — Page 97

activity. This system served Hong Kong very well for many years. The approach to elections was gradual and cautious, in response to the public mood.

Beginnings of elected representation

12. The introduction of elected representatives at local

government level was built up in the early 1970s with the Urban

Council. In 1982 District Boards were established to serve as a

forum for public consultation and participation on a territory-wide basis. In 1986 the Regional Council was established in the New Territories as a counterpart to the Urban Council. Elections to a proportion of the seats in these three

bodies were on a geographical constituency basis. All residents of 21 or over who had lived in Hong Kong for 7 years could vote.

13. But at the central level, until 1985, all LegCo members

were appointed by the Governor (apart from 3 senior officials

who are ex-officio members). With the signature in 1984 of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the Chinese agreed in principle to a Legislative Council 'constituted by elections' in 1997.

This opened the way to elections to the Legislative Council.

So, in 1985, following an extensive consultation exercise in

Hong Kong, 12 out of 56 members were elected indirectly from functional constituencies representing key professional and occupational groups, and 12 were elected by an electoral college comprising all members of the Urban and Regional Councils and

the District Boards. The first direct elections to LegCo were in 1991. By this time, after the 1989 events in Tiananmen

Square, many people in Hong Kong wanted more democracy; and the United Democrats and their allies, who had campaigned for this, won 16 of the 18 directly-elected seats. The present Legislative Council now has 18 members elected directly from 9 two-member constituencies; 21 elected indirectly from functional constituencies;

18 members appointed by the Governor

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