TNAG-2791-FCO40-4030-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China.-With-maps-1993 — Page 158

#123

38

to pay.

Chris Patten, by contrast has followed a more open

approach that in effect placed much of the burden for deciding

Hong Kong's future on its representatives. While he did not

knowingly choose to confront the Chinese side, he has not shirked

from holding his own in public in response to often vituperative

and personal attacks from the Chinese side. Even in the absence

of a positive response to his challenge to the Chinese to come

up with alternative proposals, Patten has an agenda with which

to proceed. The proposals will be brought before Legco in

legislative form after the Chinese New Year. It is expected that

some of the measures affecting the functional constituencies and

the election committee may be amended, but that the substance of

the proposed package will be passed.

It is hoped that the Chinese side would in time modify its

opposition. Under the circumstances envisaged above some of the

proposals to which the Chinese side objected most would have been

amended. Of course other alternative developments are possible.

It is possible, for example, that in Sir Percy's words, "four

years of improved democracy, set up in conditions of worsening

Chinese hostility, [would then be dismantled in 1997 and be]

followed by a more repressive system of indefinite

duration...". 24 But it may be questioned whether these were

matters that could any longer be settled by quiet diplomacy

without the direct participation of Hong kong representatives.

23

See his letter to The Times 1 December 1992.

24

24

Sir Percy Cradock letter,op.cit.