TNAG-2781-FCO40-4000-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 114

1.9.93

1.9.93

1.9.93

HKMAO Vice-

director Chen Ziying

Chinese sources quoted by Ming

Pao

Chinese sources quoted by HK Economic Journal

14

It would be best not to change the present civil service, which is a good system. If there were to be changes, the Chinese side should be consulted first.

The Chinese side wants to resolve the question of expatriate civil servants before discussing the definition of permanent residents in the JLG.

China will ask Britain to suspend the new civil service policy at the September JLG meetings but it has not completely ruled out the possibility of allowing eligible expatriate civil servants to switch to local terms.

CONFIDENTIAL