TNAG-2712-FCO40-3918-Parliamentary-relations-draft-White-Paper-on-Representative--1993 — Page 33

People's Congress and the Preparatory Committee. This would involve the two sides reaching agreement on criteria; the Chinese Government reporting this to the NPC Standing Committee

for approval and promulgation before the 1995 elections; and

the NPC Standing Committee deciding that these criteria and

no other should be used in 1997 for confirming members of the

Legislative Council. The Chinese side said that they could not

accept this proposal, but that it should be possible to find a

solution. In the event, they did not propose any alternative.

51. In Round 15, the Chinese side did however finally respond

to the British side's proposal on through train criteria. In addition to meeting the straightforward requirements in the Basic Law including a pledge of allegiance to the Hong Kong SAR, and the Chinese side proposed that in order to 'uphold the Basic Law' a Legislative Councillor would need to:

1

Love China and love Hong Kong;

Uphold the resumption of Chinese sovereignty over Hong

Kong;

Be dedicated to bringing about a smooth transition and

transfer of power in 1997;

Support the one country two systems;

Not commit (or have committed tense uncertainty in the

Chinese statement) actions such as opposing the Basic Law,

or participating in or leading activities such as

overthrowing the Chinese Government or undermining the

socialist system on the mainland.

it would be

52. The British side noted that all these points were already covered by the Basic Law. But the essential point was

that any criteria should be forward-looking;

unacceptable to have any test of past political views or

actions. In a further effort to take account of the Chinese

side's wish for a detailed set of criteria, the British side

statememt.8/BRIEFS/NJH

30