China's election plan for HK a positive step: former Thatcher aide

China's proposed plan for Hong Kong chief executive elections in 2017 is a positive step, and the "one country, two systems" policy has served Hong Kong "extremely well" since Britain returned Hong Kong to China in 1997, a former aide to late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has said.

"China has now kept its promise by offering universal suffrage for the 2017 elections, and that was a positive step," Charles Powell, former private secretary to Thatcher during the 1980s, told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview.

In the interview, he noted that demonstrating against the election plan is "fundamentally mistaken," which shows some demonstrators' ignorance of history.

CHINA HAS NOT GONE BACK ON ITS WORD IN ANY WAY

"I do not believe that China has gone back on its word in any way about the Joint Declaration or the Basic Law. It has proceeded in accordance with these documents," said Powell, who was a key foreign policy advisor to Thatcher when Britain agreed to return Hong Kong to China.

"Now everyone in Hong Kong has known since 1990, after the passage of the Basic Law, exactly what would happen -- There would be a gradual progress toward an elected chief executive of Hong Kong, and at some point, the universal suffrage would be introduced into the elections," he said.

"China has made clear that the choice of candidates will be made by an elected committee ... it was China's right to make that determination. It was clear in the Basic Law, and that was what would happen."

"I am afraid that those who demonstrate in Hong Kong are perhaps a little ignorant of history. They are basically younger people, who were not around at the time when the agreements were reached, have not been aware of their significance," added Powell, who was awarded a life peerage in 2000 and now sits in the British House of Lords.

"I don't dispute their right to demonstrate. Of course, people should be able to demonstrate and express their views, though I do think they should do so with due consideration for the other people of Hong Kong, so they can go about their daily businesses, their economic life for Hong Kong," he said.

GOOD SENSE NEEDED FOR YOUNG DEMONSTRATORS

Powell said the demonstrators "are fundamentally mistaken in demonstrating on this subject."

"It's been quite clear what has been decided will be what happens, and all this will not happen if they continue to demonstrate, and if Hong Kong Legislative Council does not accept the proposals that China has made for the 2017 election, (what will happen) is that the system would go back to what it was before."

"To me, that would be a step back," he said.

He suggested that the young people in Hong Kong should express their views with good sense. "When you've made your point, when you express your opinions like that, it's better then to stop, and see what can be achieved by further discussions if possible, and then continue with life."

"There are many other things that they could be involved in. After all, these are students; these are people who are preparing for their working life. They need to get back to their studies; they need to get back to preparing for what they are going to be doing in 10 or 20 years' time," he added.

"I would hope this would be a passing phase, I don't condemn it at all. I think people have their rights to do this. But they should do it with good sense and judiciousness, and realize that they should be grateful for what was achieved on their behalf in 1984, and be prepared to live with it despite the relatively minor constraints that go with it," he continued.