Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HONGKONG3067
2006-07-30 04:58:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Consulate Hong Kong
Cable title:  

USCC MEETING WITH DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE FOR THE

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM PINR HK CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0008
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHHKA #3067 2110458
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWCSE7457 2110504
P 300458Z JUL 06
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HONG KONG 003067 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP AND EAP/CM
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER



E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2031
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PINR HK CH
SUBJECT: USCC MEETING WITH DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE FOR THE
BETTERMENT AND PROGRESS OF HONG KONG

CLASSIFIED BY: E/P ACTING SECTION CHIEF JEFF ZAISER; REASONS 1.4 (B, D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L HONG KONG 003067

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP AND EAP/CM
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER



E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2031
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PINR HK CH
SUBJECT: USCC MEETING WITH DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE FOR THE
BETTERMENT AND PROGRESS OF HONG KONG

CLASSIFIED BY: E/P ACTING SECTION CHIEF JEFF ZAISER; REASONS 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: DURING A JUNE 26 MEETING WITH A VISITING
DELEGATION FROM THE U.S.-CHINA ECONOMIC AND SECURITY REVIEW
COMMISSION (USCC),THREE MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND
STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE FOR THE
BETTERMENT AND PROGRESS OF HONG KONG (DAB) EXPLAINED WHY
THEIR PARTY BELIEVED THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ARE NOT
READY FOR UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE. THEY DESCRIBED THE CITY'S
POLITICAL SYSTEM AS IMMATURE AND ITS RESIDENTS AS MORE
CONCERNED WITH ECONOMIC AND LIVELIHOOD ISSUES THAN WITH
POLITICS. THEY ALSO FELT THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE ALREADY
ENJOYED MORE FREEDOM THAN RESIDENTS OF MANY DEMOCRATIC
COUNTRIES, AND THAT UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE WOULD LEAD POLITICIANS
TO RAISE TAXES TO FUND ENHANCED SOCIAL WELFARE BENEFITS.
WHILE NOTING THE NEED FOR REVISION OF HONG KONG'S BASIC LAW,
THE DAB MEMBERS FEARED EFFORTS TO REVISE IT WOULD OPEN A
"PANDORA'S BOX" OF ISSUES. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) ON JUNE 26, THREE MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND
STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE DAB -- FELIX FONG, ANN CHIANG, AND
ALBERT LAM -- DISCUSSED THEIR VIEWS ON UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE AND
DEMOCRATIZATION IN HONG KONG WITH THE VISITING DELEGATION
FROM THE USCC. LAM, FORMERLY A CIVIL SERVANT WHO SERVED AS
DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR CIVIL AVIATION UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN
2004, BRIEFED THE DELEGATION ON THE HISTORY AND POLICIES OF
THE DAB. IT IS HONG KONGS LARGEST POLITICAL PARTY, WITH
6,500 MEMBERS AND CURRENTLY HOLDING TWELVE SEATS IN THE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (LEGCO). THE PARTY'S PLATFORM INCLUDES
IMPROVEMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD, IMPROVEMENT OF
RELATIONS WITH THE MAINLAND, PROMOTION OF THE RULE OF LAW,
PROTECTION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND FREEDOM OF CHOICE,
AND PROMOTION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE USCC DELEGATION
INCLUDED VICE CHAIRMAN CAROLYN BARTHOLOMEW; COMMISSIONERS
PATRICK MULLOY, KERRI HOUSTON, AND DANIEL BLUMENTHAL;

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR T. SCOTT BUNTON; AND SENIOR RESEARCH
ANALYST FOR ECONOMICS AND
TRADE PAUL MAGNUSSON.

HONG KONG NOT READY FOR UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE
--------------


3. (C) ACCORDING TO FONG, THE DAB PREVIOUSLY HAD SUPPORTED
ADOPTION OF UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE, BUT DECIDED TO REMOVE THAT
POSITION FROM ITS PARTY PLATFORM FOLLOWING THE 2004 DECISION
BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT THAT HONG KONG WAS NOT YET READY
FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION. FONG OBSERVED THAT MAINTENANCE OF
THIS POSITION ACCORDINGLY HAD BECOME FUTILE AND INDEFENSIBLE.
LAM INTERJECTED THAT HE BELIEVED UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE
EVENTUALLY WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED; THE QUESTION WAS ONE OF PACE
AND PATH, AND AT PRESENT THERE WAS NO TIMETABLE. HE
PERSONALLY BELIEVED THAT UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE WAS GOOD, BUT
NOTED THAT SOME DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES, SUCH AS THE
PHILIPPINES, WERE CHAOTIC, WITH LOW ECONOMIC GROWTH AND
LITTLE PROGRESS.


4. (C) BOTH FONG AND CHIANG WENT ON TO DESCRIBE THE ALLEGED
POLITICAL IMMATURITY OF HONG KONG'S POLITICAL SYSTEM AND
PEOPLE. CHIANG SAID THAT PRIOR TO 1997, HONG KONG WAS "JUST
A COMMERCIAL CITY," AND IT WAS ONLY AFTER REVERSION TO THE
PRC THAT ITS LOCAL LEADERS BEGAN THINKING OF POLITICS. FONG
DESCRIBED THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION'S (SAR) FIRST
CHIEF EXECUTIVE, TUNG CHEE HWA, AS A "DISASTER" WHO WAS
UNABLE TO MANAGE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF HIS POSITION.


5. (C) FONG AGREED THAT PUBLIC OPINION POLLS SHOWED THAT A
MAJORITY OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE WANTED UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.
HE BELIEVED, HOWEVER, THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ALREADY
ENJOYED MORE FREEDOM THAN RESIDENTS OF MANY DEMOCRATIC
COUNTRIES, BUT THEY ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT ECONOMIC,
COMMERCIAL, AND LIVELIHOOD ISSUES. LAM OPINED THAT
IMPLEMENTATION OF UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE WOULD LEAD POLITICIANS
TO RAISE TAXES TO FUND THE ENHANCED SOCIAL WELFARE BENEFITS
THAT THE NEWLY ENFRANCHISED LOW INCOME CLASSES WOULD DEMAND
IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR VOTES. "HANDING OUT GOODIES" WOULD BE
UNAVOIDABLE. NEVERTHELESS, FONG BELIEVED THAT HONG KONG
ALREADY OFFERED "THE BEST SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM IN THE WORLD."

BASIC LAW FLAWED
--------------


6. (C) FONG SAID THAT UNDER TUNG'S SUCCESSOR, CURRENT CHIEF
EXECUTIVE DONALD TSANG, THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN BEIJING HAS
SOUGHT TO PLAY A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN HONG KONG. THE "POORLY
DRAFTED" BASIC LAW, HOWEVER, SOMETIMES REQUIRED
INTERPRETATION ON ASPECTS OF HONG KONG'S RELATIONS WITH THE
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. WHILE THE HONG KONG COURT OF FINAL

APPEAL IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE AS THE CHANNEL FOR THIS
INTERPRETATION PROCESS, FONG ADMITTED THAT ON "SEVERAL
OCCASIONS" -- SUCH AS THE RIGHT OF ABODE ISSUE -- BEIJING HAD
"JUMPED THE GUN" AND PREMATURELY ISSUED INTERPRETATIONS OF
THE BASIC LAW.


7. (C) BEFORE UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE COULD BE IMPLEMENTED, FONG
BELIEVED THAT A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT WERE NOT CLEAR IN THE
BASIC LAW NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED "COMPREHENSIVELY," INCLUDING
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND THE
POLITICAL PARTIES, AND THE ROLE AND STATUS OF THE FUNCTIONAL
CONSTITUENCIES IN LEGCO. AS A COLONY OF THE U.K., HONG KONG
HAD BEEN GOVERNED THROUGH AN EXECUTIVE-LED RATHER THAN
PARTY-BASED SYSTEM, WHICH THE PRC AND THE U.K. JOINTLY HAD
DECIDED TO CONTINUE WITH THE BASIC LAW. IN THIS RESPECT,
FONG JOKINGLY DESCRIBED THE BASIC LAW AS "HALF-BAKED" AND
PROMULGATED WITH A "LET'S TRY IT" ATTITUDE. THE DAB'S
CONCERNS IN THIS AREA, HE CLAIMED, WERE NOT "STALLING
TACTICS." THAT SAID, HOWEVER, FONG ALSO NOTED THAT ANY
PROPOSAL TO CHANGE THE BASIC LAW WOULD OPEN A "PANDORA'S BOX"
OF ISSUES.


8. (SBU) THE USCC DELEGATION HAS CLEARED THIS CABLE.
MULLINS