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Hong Kong's external_relations, and in particular for its civil
Such an agreement would need
aviation international relations.
A
to be concluded at the same time as any more general agreement
recognising Chinese sovereignty.
If Hong Kong became
an SAR without the United Kingdom obtaining responsibility
for the conduct of external relations, then the United
Kingdom would lose all its civil aviation rights stemming
from the right to control access to Hong Kong.
Shipping
Present Situation
14. Hong Kong harbour is a key factor in Hong Kong's
development and prosperity.
Strategically located on
Far East trade routes and in the Asia-Pacific basis, and
served by 150 major shipping lines, it is the seventh
largest port in the world in terms of tonnage, cargo and
passengers.
Port Administration
15. The port of Hong Kong is administered not by a port
authority but by the Marine Department of the Hong Kong
Government. Most wharves and terminals as well as the
Kwai Chung container terminal (the third largest in the
world in terms of throughput of containers) are operated
by private enterprise. Hong Kong is an important centre
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