Ri
) HONG KONG'S EXISTING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS WILL
IN UNCHANGED, THE LIFE-STYLE WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED, AND THE LAWS WILL REMAIN BASICALLY UNCHANGED.
HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM AND
PRIVATE PROPERTY WILL BE PROTECTED BY LAW. RESIDENTS MAY PURSUE THE SAME LIFESTYLE AS BEFORE. ALL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS IN HONG KONG
UNDER THE EXISTING LAW MAY CONTINUE TO BE ENJOYED. FOR EXAMPLE FREEDOMS OF SPEECH AND PUBLICATION WILL BE VERY WIDE AFTER 1997.
ALL SHADES OF OPINION MAY BE EXPRESSED PROVIDED THEY ARE IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW AND ARE NOT DESTRUCTIVE. RESIDENTS OF THE
HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL ENJOY FREEDOM OF
RELIGIOUS BELIEF AND RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS AND BELIEVERS MAY
MAINTAIN THEIR RELATIONS WITH INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS.
↑
HONG KONG'S EXISITING LAWS WILL BE BASICALLY UNCHANGED. OF COURSE, THOSE LAWS WHICH ARE IN CONFLICT WITH THE 'BASIC LAW'', FOR EXAMPLE LAWS WHICH ARE IN THE NATURE OF COLONIAL RULE OR WHICH HAVE COLONIAL, CONNOTATIONS MUST BE ABOLISHED OR AMENDED: IN ADDITION SOME LAWS MAY NO LONGER APPLY BECAUSE OF CHANGES TO THE ACTUAL SITUATION. APART FROM THESE, OTHER EXISTING LAWS WILL BE MAINTAINED UNCHANGED.
THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL CONTINUE AS A FREE PORT AND AN INDEPENDENT CUSTOMS TERRITORY. HONG KONG WILL RETAIN ITS POSITION AS AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE. THE
HONG KONG DOLLAR WILL CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE AND BE FREELY CONVERTIBLE. MARKETS FOR FOREIGN EXCHANGE, GOLD, SECURITIES AND FUTURES WILL CONTINUE AND THE FREEDOM TO MOVE CAPITAL IN AND OUT WILL BE GUARANTEEEEEEEEED.
(IV) THE ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF BRITAIN AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN HONG KONG WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF. FOLLOWING OUR RESUMPTION OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG, PUBLIC SERVANTS AND POLICE OFFICERS OF BRITISH OR OTHER FOREIGN NATIONALITY MAY REMAIN IN EMPLOYMENT, IN THE SAME WAY AS OFFICERS OF CHINESE NATIONALITY. THEIR PAY AND ALLOWANCES WILL BE NO LESS FAVOURABLE THAN BEFORE. THE SPECIAL
ADMINISTRATIVE REGION MAY ALSO EMPLOY PERSONS OF BRITISH OR OTHER FOREIGN NATIONALITY AS ADVISERS, OR IN OTHER CAPACITIES UP TO POSITIONS CORRESPONDING TO DEPUTY HEAD OF PRESENT SECRETARY'' LEVEL DEPARTMENTS. OF COURSE, THESE FOREIGNERS CAN ONLY BE EMPLOYED AS INDIVIDUALS AND CAN BE RESPONSIBLE ONLY TO THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATION REGION GOVERNMENT.
BRITISH INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN HONG KONG