31.   China has said that the Provisional body will serve for no longer than a year, after which elections will be held under rules yet to be devised.

32.   China has said the provisional body would serve for a year from July.

33.   Fan said a Hong Kong office for the provisional body was being planned but did not elaborate.

34.   Fan, formerly a loyal backer of the colonial government, defended the provisional body from arguments that it was illegally constituted and a challenge to the present authorities.

35.   The provisional body came into being last December and has already begun work in the runup to the handover.

36.   The provisional body haas drawn strong criticism from Britain, democratic parties and rights groups, as being unconstitutional and undemocratic.

37.   The provisional body meets in Shenzhen, across the Chinese border from Hong Kong, as it is not formally recognised here.

38.   The selection process is already underway and a provisional body will be in place by the end of the year,

39.   Tung will also discuss funding for the provisional body, which receives no help from the current Hong Kong government.

40.   She said there would be a rush of legislation through the provisional body for fear of leaving a vacuum of laws.