Hong Kong (Hansard, 1 July 1992)

§ 5. Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the last visit by a Foreign Office Minister to Hong Kong to discuss the democratic rights of the people of Hong Kong.

§ The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Douglas Hurd)
The Minister of State—my right hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad)—visited Hong Kong in May. I hope to visit Hong Kong from 26 to 28 July.

§ Mr. Banks
Why are the British Government trying to distance themselves from the democracy movement in Hong Kong? Do the Government stand by the view that 30 members should be directly elected to the Legislative 836 Council by 1995? Is it not true that the best defence for the people of Hong Kong would be full democarcy by 1997, not pieces of paper exchanged between the Chinese and British Governments?

§ Mr. Hurd
That depends on whether the hon. Gentleman thinks that it is important that the arrangements in 1995 should continue after 1997. We do. We have said that we shall discuss the 1995 elections with the Chinese, with the aim of ensuring as much continuity as possible. The new governor will be going out there this week. He will want to consult widely and put his views to us. That will take him some time, so I shall not announce any decisions on this matter when I go to Hong Kong at the end of this month.

§ Mr. Adley
Is it not a fact that fewer than 10 per cent. of those eligible to register to vote actually did so and that the main winner in the election was the apathy party? That being so, will my right hon. Friend confirm that it is Her Majesty's Government's view that the best interests of the people of Hong Kong continue to be served when the relationship between Britain and China is better rather than worse?

§ Mr. Hurd
That is highly desirable. There is a wide range of views in the House and in Hong Kong on the subject of the 1995 elections. Many different views are expressed by people from Hong Kong who come to see me. Mr. Patten must consult widely when he gets there, weigh up the views and the different factors, including the one that my hon. Friend mentioned, and then let us have his advice.

§ Mr. Skinner
When the Foreign Secretary goes gallivanting to Hong Kong, will he call on the Hong Kong business man whom the Prime Minister met just before the general election? Taxpayers' money, supposedly, paid for the flight. When the Prime Minister got to Hong Kong, all he was bothered about was raising money for the Tory party and getting money from Hong Kong business men. Is the Foreign Secretary going to do the same?

§ Mr. Hurd
I expect to keep in touch on Hong Kong matters with a range of opinions, including business opinion in Hong Kong.

§ Mr. Churchill
Was not the principal failure of the 1919 treaty of Versailles that it rode roughshod over the democratic aspirations of many peoples? Can my right hon. Friend name any other instance in modern times when a colonial power has handed over a colony to another power in defiance of the wishes of the local people? What has happened to the hallowed principle of self-determination?

§ Mr. Hurd
As my hon. Friend knows, we are following the agreement that was reached in 1984 with the Chinese Government. That and subsequent agreements arrange for a steady increase in the directly elected members of LegCo. That, of course, has never happened before under any British Government or under any Government in Hong Kong. Eighteen members were directly elected in 1991 and 20 will be elected under the Basic Law in 1995. It is that second figure which we need to discuss. I hope that my hon. Friend does not believe that the issue depends entirely on the number of directly elected members. There are 837 other constituencies in Hong Kong in LegCo, and the new governor will want to consider the range of the subject, not just the number of directly elected members.

§ Mr. Foulkes
Is the Foreign Secretary aware that we welcome the robust declaration by Chris Patten to the Chinese, which was widely reported today, to keep their hands off Hong Kong for the next five years while we retain responsibility? However, will the Foreign Secretary guarantee that when the Chinese put the heat on and try to blackmail us on issues such as the airport, he will stand firm behind Chris Patten and maintain our right to appoint members—whoever we wish—to the Executive Council, to extend democracy by extending direct elections to the Executive Council and to bring into force a system that protects human rights not only for the next five years, but well beyond? We have that responsibility to the people of Hong Kong and we must exert it fully over the next five years.

§ Mr. Hurd
The three matters that the hon. Gentleman mentioned are within our jurisdiction under the agreement and under the joint declaration between now and 1997. Not only the new governor but the Minister of Stale—my right hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury—have made it plain to the Chinese that, in particular, appointments to ExCo are a matter for the governor, with my approval.