TNAG-2730-FCO40-3936-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1993 — Page 26

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6.

(ii) When Lu Ping met representatives of one of Hong

Kong's pro-China parties on 22 December, he told

them that China did not intend to set up a second

centre of power or shadow government, even if LegCo

passed the Governor's proposals unamended. He also

made a number of other comments which were clearly

designed to sound more conciliatory.

(iii) Against expectations, the meeting of the National People's Congress Standing Committee did not announce any decisions on Hong Kong.

(iv) In an interview with Hong Kong TV on 3 January

Lu Ping ruled out a number of the more extreme

options: the Chinese would stick to the Joint

Declaration whatever the state of Sino-British

relations: there would be no shadow Government; and

contracts and franchises would continue to be

discussed in the Joint Liaison Group. Lu Ping added

that the Chinese were prepared to set up an advisory

body to prepare the post-1997 government and

legislature, but had not yet done so.

Concern

It is not clear what has produced this moderation of the Chinese public line. They may have decided that they have said enough for the moment and are biding their time. They also seem

to have realised that LegCo's consideration of the Governor's

proposals will take some time, and that in the process the proposals may well be amended in directions they favour. not to damage their relations with the Clinton Administration and

anxiety that the steps they had already taken risked damaging

Hong Kong's economic future may also have been factors. should keep this in perspective. The Chinese remain fundamentally opposed to the Governor's proposals on functional constituencies

and the Election Committee as they stand. If his package was to

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But we