TNAG-2714-FCO40-3920-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 104

included in the Basic Law. The final version of the Basic Law

provided for an increased number of directly-elected seats in the

legislature from the time at which the Basic Law came into force,

in July 1997. The Basic Law provided for 20 out of the 60 seats to be directly elected at that time. The Government therefore

agreed that there would be 18 directly-elected seats in the 1991

Legislative Council elections, and at least 20 in the final elections under British sovereignty, in 1995.

12. The direct elections for these 18 seats in the September

1991 Legislative Council elections marked an important step forward in the development of democracy in Hong Kong. There was a turn-out rate of 39% of registered voters and all 18 seats were

contested. The United Democrats of Hong Kong (UDHK), led by Mr Martin Lee, and their other liberal allies, fought a lively and successful campaign based on a call for more democracy. The UDHK

won 12 of the 18 seats and 45% of the vote. Four of the other

remaining seats went to other liberal candidates. Most of the

successful candidates in the indirect, functional constituency,

elections (21 seats) were independents, without party political

affiliation. The remaining 21 members of the present Legislative Council consist of 18 appointed by the Governor from a variety of backgrounds and 3 officials, who are ex-officio members.

13. The Committee proposed that full democracy should be

introduced before 1997 but that this should be done in a way that was consistent with maintaining a necessary degree of continuity

(3.10). The Government's aim has been to establish a system which

would respond to Hong Kong people's desire for more democracy, but which would also be capable of enduring and developing beyond

1997. We have therefore sought to discuss the electoral arrangements in Hong Kong with the Chinese side

14.

The simplest way to extend democracy in Hong Kong would be

for the Chinese side to agree to increase the number of

select.cttee.PR.JRB