Chinese Foreign Minister of the substance of the proposals.
The Governor also wrote to a senior Chinese official. The
Chinese side asked that the announcement of the proposals be
delayed.
15. Her Majesty's Government and the Governor, however,
considered that it would not have been acceptable to embark on negotiations with China without the Governor having set out his
approach to the Hong Kong community. The Governor emphasised
to the Legislative Council that he was setting out proposals,
not firm decisions, and that he wished to discuss them with
Chinese representatives. The proposals were well received in Hong Kong and by international opinion. In three 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.
16. 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
the 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 Chinese Government-controlled 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
statement26.8/BRIEFS/NJH
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