TNAG-2714-FCO40-3920-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 204

THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

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Question proposed, That the Amendment be made.

Amendment proposed to the proposed Amendment, in line 3, after “a”, to insert “Joint”—(Mr Ian Taylor.)

Question put, That the Amendment to the proposed Amendment be made.

The Committee divided. ·

Noes, 4

Ayes, 4

Mr Dennis Canavan

Mr Michael Jopling

Mr Ivan Lawrence

Mr Bowen Wells

Mr Ted Rowlands

Mr Ian Taylor

Mr Peter Temple-Morris Mr Michael Walsh

Whereupon the Chairman declared himself with the Ayes.

Another Amendment proposed to the proposed Amendment, in line 4, after "Court" to insert the words “with a minority input from the PRC judiciary”—(Mr Michael Jopling.)

Question, That the Amendment to the proposed Amendment be made, put and negatived.

Question put, That the proposed Amendment, as amended, be made.

The Committee divided.

Noes, 2

Ayes, 6

Mr Michael Jopling

Mr Ivan Lawrence

Mr Dennis Canavan Mr Bowen Wells

Mr Ted Rowlands

Mr Ian Taylor

Mr Peter Temple-Morris Mr Michael Welsh

Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.

Paragraphs 2.9 to 2.14 read and agreed to. Paragraphs 3.1 and 3.2 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 3.3 read as follows:

"It may be that current events in China are providing that test. The demonstrations in Hong Kong have not been in a favour of a stronger Basic Law, or renegotiating the Joint Declaration, but have principally been in support of the Chinese students in Beijing and in anger and outrage at the actions of the Chinese Government and the People's Liberation Army. It does not, of course, follow from this that Britain's responsibilities towards Hong Kong are any less. But it does support the argument that the future of the Chinese people of Hong Kong must be in Hong Kong and that therefore the best guarantee for their future is a successful future for the territory." Amendment proposed, in line 4, after "Army", to insert the words:

"It is important, however, not to forget that, while free expression of opinion must be guaranteed within Hong Kong, before and after 1997, nonetheless just as Hong Kong people wish as far as possible, to insulate themselves from the effects of the People's Republic internal politics, so they should be wary of involving themselves directly, in any organised manner, in Chinese affairs which do not bear upon Hong Kong."-(Mr Ian Taylor.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes, 3

Mr Michael Jopling Mr Ian Taylor

Mr Peter Temple-Morris

Noes, 5

Mr Dennis Canavan Mr Ted Rowlands Mr Peter Shore Mr Bowen Wells

Mr Michael Welsh

An Amendment made.

Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.

Paragraph 3.4 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 3.5 read, amended, and agreed to.

A paragraph-(Mr Bowen Wells)-brought up, read the first and second time and inserted.

Paragraphs 3.6 to 3.9 (now 3.7 to 3.10) read and agreed to.

Paragraph 3.10 (now 3.11) read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraph 3.11 (now 3.12) read and agreed to.