OO HONG KONG
GRS 626
SECRET
FM FCO 201912Z MAR 84
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 509 OF 20 MARCH
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
MIPT
MIPT FUTURE OF HONG KONG:
GATT
SECRET
HKCK oug4
GISTRY 22 MAR 1984
Į PEGISTRY
Action Fahen
cũng keo
1. FOLLOWING IS ADVICE OF DEPARTMENT'S LEGAL COUNSELLOR:-
QUOTE WE CANNOT BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT THE OTHER CONTRACTING
PARTIES TO GATT WOULD ACCEPT HONG KONG'S CONTINUED PARTICIPATION
AFTER 1997 IN GATT AS A CONTRACTING PARTY IN ACCORDANCE WITH
ARTICLE XXVI (5)(C). HOWEVER, HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 574 IS ENCOUR-
AGING, AND THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE IS SUGGESTED
2. ONCE OUR BILATERAL AGREEMENT WITH CHINA HAD ENTERED INTO
FORCE, THE UK AND CHINA WOULD BE COMMITTED BY ARTICLE 4 (AS AT
PRESENT DRAFTED) TO ENDEAVOUR TO SECURE THE RETENTION BY HONG KONG
(CHINA) OF THE BENEFITS EXISTING IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO 1 JULY 1997
IN RELATION TO THE GATT. PURSUANT TO THAT OBLIGATION THE TWO
GOVERNMENTS WOULD EACH MAKE A DECLARATION TO THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
OF GATT ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:-
(1) THE UNITED KINGDOM WOULD MAKE A DECLARATION IN ACCORDANCE
WITH ARTICLE XXVI(5)(C) TO THE EFFECT THAT HONG KONG WAS
A CUSTOMS TERRITORY, IN RESPECT OF WHICH THE UK HAD ACCEPTED
THE GATT, AND THAT IT POSSESSED FULL AUTONOMY IN THE CONDUCT
OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS AND OF THE OTHER MATTERS
PROVIDED FOR IN THAT AGREEMENT.
(II) CHINA WOULD, AT OR ABOUT THE SAME TIME, DEPOSIT A SIMILAR
DECLARATION WITH THE DIRECTOR GENERAL ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:
QUOTE HONG KONG WILL BECOME A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION
OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON 1 JULY 1997. AS SUCH
IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CUSTOMS TERRITORY WHICH POSSESSES
FULL AUTONOMY IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL
RELATIONS AND OF THE OTHER MATTERS PROVIDED FOR IN THE GATT.
ACCORDINGLY IT WILL AFTER THAT DATE RETAIN THE STATUS OF A
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