CONFIDENTIAL
were confirmed by an
independent
(1984)). Parliament debated the
te am
9407
of monitors (Cmnd.
in the light of these
agreement
views and approved Her Majesty's Government's intention to sign it.
5.
On 19 December 1984 the Prime Minister and the Chinese Premier
signed the Joint Declaration in Peking. Once the Hong Kong Act 1985
(c. 15) had been passed by Parliament, instruments of ratification
were exchanged on 27 May 1985 and the Joint Declaration
en tered
force immediately. It was registered by both the British
Chinese Governments at the United Nations on 12 June 1985.
in to
and
6.
Under the terms of the
Government declares that it will
Her
Join t
restore
Declaration Her Majesty's
Hong Kong to the People's
Republic of China with effect from 1 July 1997, and the two
Majesty's Government will be
administration of Hong Kong up to that date.
Governments declare
that
responsible for the
Both Governments are committed to the full implementation of the
Joint Declaration and its Annexes.
(b) Joint Liaison Group
7
A Sino-British Joint Liaison Group has been established under
the terms of the Joint Declaration with a view to the effective
implementation of
and in order to ensure a
smooth transfer of
meeting in London
sides agreed
arrangements
the
Joint Declaration
•
government in 1997
first The Group held its
from 22 to 25 July 1985. At that meeting the two
the on
working
of procedures
and Group
for Hong Kong to
а remain
member of the Asian
the
on
Development Bank after 30 June 1997. The Group also discussed Hong
Kong's continued participation in the General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade and The Multifibre Arrangement and the continued
application of international rights and obligations Hong Kong.
that discussion of these subjects would
I t
agreed was
the second meeting of the Group.
to
continue
at
2 -
CONFIDENTIAL