LCQ14: Visits by non-Hong Kong deputies to the NPC
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Following is a question by the Hon Yeung Yiu-chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Mr Michael Suen, in the Legislative Council meeting today (January 23):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether it has invited delegations comprising non-Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress to visit Hong Kong over the past five years; if so, of the respective numbers of delegations and deputies who visited Hong Kong each year, broken down by the contents of the visits; if not, the reasons for that; and
(b) of the measures to enhance the deputies' understanding of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ("SAR") and the SAR Government's communication with them?
Reply:
Madam President,
Since reunification, the HKSAR Government has invited the then Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), Mr Qiao Shi, to visit Hong Kong in February 1998. In addition, the community has from time to time invited non-Hong Kong deputies to the NPC to visit Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government has taken the opportunity to receive a number of deputies at the rank of the Vice Chairmen of the Standing Committee on 32 occasions. Figures are as follows :
Reception by HKSAR Government for non-Hong Kong deputies to the NPC who are Vice Chairmen of the Standing Committee or above
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Year............................No. of receptions
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1997 (July to December)........2
1998....................................7*
1999....................................6
2000....................................9
2001....................................9
Total..................................33
* This includes the visit by the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC, Mr Qiao Shi.
The HKSAR Government has maintained contact with the Hong Kong deputies and non-Hong Kong deputies to the NPC through various channels and on different occasions to enhance mutual understanding.
End/Wednesday, January 23, 2002.
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