The World - News from April 29, 1988

A special committee in Beijing released a controversial draft of the constitution by which Communist China will govern capitalist Hong Kong after Britain withdraws in 1997. The draft assures Hong Kong’s 5.7 million residents that China will not impose socialism on the thriving trade city for at least 50 years. The draft outlines procedures for establishing a semi-autonomous system to govern the enclave as a “special administrative region” with its own taxes, courts, education system and social welfare system. It also promises to protect civil liberties but contains numerous qualifiers that some Hong Kong residents fear could allow autocratic Chinese rule.