TNAG-2735-FCO40-3943-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-1993 — Page 167

KC

A

FILE

Kay's Leglo general

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 012/3

From: J Marshall

R

Hong Kong Department

Mr Morris

PS/Mr Goodlad

Date: 28 April 1993

cc: Sir J Coles

Mr Hum

Mr Davies, FED Mr Wye, RAD (FE) PS

HONG KONG: GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ELECTIONS

1. The attached telegram from Hong Kong reports the

results of yesterday's elections to the Committee of the General Chamber of Commerce. Five of the six seats up for election were won by candidates with clear pro-China sympathies, after a well-organised campaign probably backed by the NCNA. The Minister may like to have a short analysis of the implications of this vote.

2. The most obvious loser will ultimately be Jimmy McGregor,

functionde constituency who currently holds the seat in LegCo allocated to the Chamber of Commerce. He won the nomination in 1991 only after a closely fought contest with a pro-China businessman. It now seems unlikely that he or anybody with similar liberal sentiments will be able to win this nomination in 1995.

3.

The organised campaign run by conservative and pro-China elements in the Chamber of Commerce has implications for the

CONFIDENTIAL

46