TNAG-2714-FCO40-3920-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 133

15.

The Governor has therefore set out an alternative package of proposals, which aim to make Hong Kong's system more fair and democratic, while remaining within the terms of the Basic Law.

They include:-

16.

voting age to be reduced from 21 to 18;

voting system for geographical constituencies to be

single seat, single vote;

creation of an Independent Boundary and Election Commission;

broadening of the franchise for the existing 21 functional constituencies and creating 9 new

functional constituencies embracing the entire economically-active population of Hong Kong.

- an Election Committee (to elect 10 members of the Legislative Council) to be composed of people who have themselves been elected (eg District Board

members).

The Governor's proposals were favourably received in Hong Kong, and successive motion debates in the Legislative Council on issues related to these proposals have resulted in votes supporting the Governor's approach. Opinion polls show support in the community is still running at about 2:1 in favour, in spite of a sustained campaign of opposition from China.

17. We and the Governor have said that his proposals were not final decisions, and that we were open to alternative proposals, either from Hong Kong people, or from China. Many alternative ideas have been put forward by Hong Kong people and organisations

and the Hong Kong Government have now published a compendium, and

subsequently a supplement to it, for the benefit of members of the

Legislative Council, when they come to debate the issue.

We gave copies of the documents to the Chinese Government before they were published. They have been laid in the library of the House.

select.cttee.PR.JRB

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