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AND SO WOULD THE PROPOSALS TO TURN FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS AND THE ELECTION COMMITTEE ELECTIONS INTO SOME FORM OF DIRECT ELECTIONS.
6. TA KUNG PAO (TKP) COMMENTED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SECURE CHINA'S SUPPORT FOR SIGNIFICANT POLICY CHANGES IN THE TRANSITION. IT CITED THE PROPOSED ''SANDWICH CLASS'' HOUSING SCHEME AS AN EXAMPLE WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE SANCTIONED BY THE LAND COMMISSION.
7. TKP ALSO COMMENTED THAT I HAD TRIED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS THROUGH MY ELECTION COMMITTEE PROPOSAL WHICH MADE USE OF LOOPHOLES IN THE BASIC LAW. THE PAPER WAS SHOCKED BY MY GENEROSITY IN INTRODUCING WESTERN-STYLE WELFARE BENEFITS AND BY MY OVERHAUL OF THE TRADITIONAL BALANCE OF POWER IN HONG KONG'S POLITICAL SYSTEM.
8. SCMP QUOTED A HONG KONG BASED CHINESE OFFICIAL AS SAYING THAT THE PROPOSED SEPARATION OF EXCO AND LEGCO WAS IN BREACH OF THE BASIC LAW WHICH STIPULATED THAT MEMBERS OF EXCO SHOULD BE APPOINTED FROM AMONG THE PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS OF THE SAR, MEMBERS OF LEGCO AND PUBLIC FIGURES, ADDING THAT THE RELEVANT CHINESE AUTHORITIES WOULD FORMALLY EXPRESS CONCERN THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS.
9. SOME PAPERS QUOTED A CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN AS SAYING THAT AN OFFICIAL RESPONSE TO THE POLICY ADDRESS WOULD BE MADE ON 8 OCTOBER (COMMENT: PRESUMABLY AT THE MFA PRESS CONFERENCE).
10. CPPCC DELEGATE XU SIMIN SAID THAT THE ADDRESS WAS NOT IN LINE WITH BRITAIN'S ROLE OF ''GUARDIAN GOVERNMENT'' DURING THE LAST FEW YEARS OF ITS ADMINISTRATION.
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