CONFIDENTIAL
0114464
MDHIAN 98
THE PWC/PC WILL CONSIST OF EXPERTS AND PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE IN THE MAINLAND AND IN HONG KONG. HONG KONG MEMBERS WILL MAKE UP NO LESS THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE PWC/PC. ITS MANDATE WILL EXPIRE UPON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE OF THE HKSAR.
''AT PRESENT THE SECOND SESSION OF THE NPC S/C IS HOLDING DISCUSSIONS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PWC/PC. THE CHINESE SIDE BELIEVE THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PWC/PC IS A MATTER WITHIN CHINA'S SOVEREIGNTY. THE MANDATE OF THE PWC/PC IS TO ALLOW CHINA TO MAKE THE NECESSARY PREPARATIONS FOR THE RESUMPTION OF THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997. THE MISSION OF THE JLG IS ALREADY CLEARLY STIPULATED IN THE JD AND ITS ANNEX.. CLEARLY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PWC/PC WILL NOT AFFECT THE NORMAL WORK OF THE
JLG.
CHINA HAS ALWAYS ABIDED BY THE JD. ACCORDING TO THE JD, BRITAIN SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UNTIL 30 JUNE 1997. THE PWC/PC TO BE ESTABLISHED WILL NOT INTERFERE IN SUCH ADMINISTRATION BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT BEFORE 30 JUNE 1997. THE SYSTEM IN THE HKSAR, INCLUDING ITS POLITICAL STRUCTURE, HAS BEEN STIPULATED IN THE BL. CHINA WILL ACT IN STRICT OBSERVANCE OF THE BL. THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A PWC/PC IS TO MAKE PREPARATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE BL.
3.
I THANKED JIANG FOR HIS STATEMENT WHICH I WOULD REPORT IMMEDIATELY. I NOTED THAT IT CONTAINED LESS INFORMATION THAN I HAD ALREADY READ IN THE HONG KONG PRESS, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO THE NAMELIST BUT I GRANTED HIM THAT THOSE REPORTS MIGHT BE WITHOUT AUTHORITY. MY FIRST IMPRESSION, HOWEVER, WAS THAT JIANG HAD GIVEN ME THE TWO SPECIFIC ASSURANCES WHICH I HAD SOUGHT. OUR FIRST CONCERN WAS THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PWC/PC SHOULD NOT THE PROPER FUNCTIONS OF THE JLG AS SPECIFIED IN THE JD. ON THAT JIANG HAD TOLD ME THAT THE TASKS OF THE JLG WERE CLEARLY STIPULATED IN THE JD AND THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PWC/PC WOULD NOT AFFECT THE WORK OF THE JLG.
OUR SECOND CONCERN WAS THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS BODY SHOULD NOT AFFECT BRITAIN'S ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG BEFORE 1997. JIANG HAD GIVEN THAT ASSURANCE BY SAYING THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD ALL ALONG ABIDED BY THE JD WHICH STIPULATED THAT BRITAIN WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO 30 JUNE 1997 AND THAT THE PWC/PC WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THIS. THEREFORE, IF I HAD UNDERSTOOD JIANG CORRECTLY, I WOULD BE ABLE TO REPORT TO MY GOVERNMENT THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD GIVEN THE ASSURANCES WE HAD SOUGHT.
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