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criticism from the Chinese side, which emphasised that China's refusal to allow the labour activist to return to the mainland should not be linked with HK people's freedom of movement after 1997. Mr Patten had been accused of "poisoning" the atmosphere for the talks and using the case to exert pressure on China at the negotiating table.
On constitutional reforms, Mr Lu and other Chinese sources admitted that there were discrepancies between the two sides on the electoral arrangements and the through train. They also noted the importance of maintaining an executive-led system. The Chinese side said it could not accept the British side's counter-proposals on the nine new functional constituencies as they represented a change from indirect elections. While stressing the need to conduct the talks on the basis of the "three conformities", the Chinese side suspected that British tactics now were to break up the Patten package and fit the parts into a system based on the BL. Sir Robin McLaren's indication that the British side had contingency plans in case of a breakdown in the talks only confirmed the Chinese side's suspicion that the British side was not keen on the talks yielding fruit and that it still wanted to implement the Patten package in order to extend its influence in HK.
The Chinese stand on the through train issue remained unchanged. It insisted that in order to enable legislators elected in 1995 to board the through train, the electoral arrangements for 1994/95 must converge with the BL. It is noteworthy that both chief Chinese negotiator Jiang Enzhu and NCNA HK Director Zhou Nan had admitted that the through train was part of the electoral arrangements for 1994/95. However, they stressed that discussions should be restricted to the "carriage" (political structure) only. Regarding the "passengers", the Chinese side maintained that they must meet the relevant BL stipulations and NPC resolutions and must be confirmed by the SARPC to be set up in 1996.
Six appendices are attached to this report, each setting out in chronological order Chinese comments on:
Appendix I - politicising the civil service
Appendix II
Appendix III Appendix IV
Appendix V
- localisation
Han Dongfang case and the talks
- constitutional package and "unreasonable" demands - through train/convergence
Appendix VI - Deng Xiaoping's remarks made in 1982
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Media Research Sub-division
Government Information Services September 14, 1993
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