In response to reports that some local academics would join hands in submitting to the government representations on the proposals to implement Article 23 of the Basic Law, the spokesman said that the government welcomes any views on the proposals.

Article 23 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong stipulates that "the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People's Government, or theft of state secrets."

The HKSAR government announced the proposals on legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law for public consultation on Sept. 24.

The spokesman said the government has been holding closed-door meetings with academics in the past weeks to listen to their concerns as well as to explain the proposals.

"The government fully appreciates the need to address the specific concerns of academics and will continue to hold such meetings in the coming weeks. We intend to invite the local academics in question to attend such meetings," the spokesman said.

In response to the academics' request for details, the spokesman stressed that the bill to be introduced into the Legislative Council next year will contain full details.

"All members of the public will have ample opportunity to study the details and make further comments. Moreover, the bill will be open to amendment when it comes under scrutiny by the Legislative Council," the spokesman said.

The Secretary for Security Regina Ip said Wednesday at the Foreign Correspondents' Club that more than 70 percent of the public responses in the on-going consultation on the proposals are in support of legislating Article 23.

Within the first month of the consultation period, HKSAR officials have attended 30 seminars and 30 broadcast station interviews in a bid to explain the government's stand on the issue.

According to article 23, the drafted law shall also "prohibit foreign political organizations or bodies from conducting political activities in the Region and to prohibit political organizations or bodies of the Region from establishing ties with foreign political organizations or bodies."

(Xinhua News Agency October 31, 2002)