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Hong Kong's governor blasts plan to dilute civil liberty laws
January 20, 1997
Web posted at: 2:40 p.m. EST (1940 GMT)HONG KONG (CNN) -- Gov. Chris Patten on Monday attacked Chinese plans to dilute Hong Kong's human rights laws, which he said "strike at the heart" of civil liberties in the territory.
China on Sunday drafted a list of 25 laws -- including Hong Kong's Bill of Rights and key electoral laws -- to be axed or diluted when it resumes sovereignty of Hong Kong on June 30.
Patten, in a statement, called the proposals misguided and damaging to confidence both at home and abroad. He accused China and its advisers of attempting to paralyze Hong Kong ahead of the handover.
China's Xinhua news agency defended the plans, which it said reversed British reforms that violate the 1984 treaty governing Beijing's takeover.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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