They
proposals was that the elections should be broadly based,
open, fair and acceptable to the people of Hong Kong.
were well received in Hong Kong and by international opinion. In two debates, held in November 1992 and January 1993, the Legislative Council voted by a substantial majority in favour
of the Governor's approach. In spite of the hostile reaction
from China, opinion polls in Hong Kong since October 1992 have shown continuing support for the Governor's objectives.
27. The Governor went to Peking as soon after his speech to
the Legislative Council as the Chinese side were able to
receive him: on 20 October 1992. He explained his proposals and again emphasised the wish of Her Majesty's Government and
Hong Kong Government to discuss them with the Chinese side.
But Chinese leaders refused any such discussion. They later
demanded in public that the Governor should withdraw his
proposals before any discussion of electoral arrangements
could take place. In the following two months, the
pro-Chinese press in Hong Kong mounted increasingly strident attacks on the Governor and on his proposals, without offering any alternative ideas. Statements from the Chinese side cast
doubt on the continuing validity after 1997 of Government
contracts and franchises and suggested that China might begin to prepare alternative arrangements for the legislature in
1997. This public campaign caused anxiety in the community in Hong Kong. The stock market fell temporarily, although Hong Kong's economic fundamentals remained strong.
28. At a press conference immediately after the Governor's
visit to Peking, a senior Chinese official claimed that the
Governor's proposals violated agreements and understandings
reached in exchanges of correspondence in early 1990 between
the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary and his Chinese
counterpart. To set the record straight, Her Majesty's
Government published the seven documents concerned. These
statememt26.8/BRIEFS/NJH
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