1985.
CONFIDENTIAL
7559
1
3. THE REPORT CONTAINS A GENERAL SURVEY OF THE MAIN EVENTS IN
HONG KONG IN THIS PERIOD, COVERING THE STEPS ALREADY TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, THE RECENT MOVES TO MORE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY, THE SOCIAL AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES PROPOSED BY THE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT, REFUGEES AND SECURITY.
II.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION
(A) (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) JOINT DECLARATION
4. AFTER TWO YEARS OF NEGOTIATIONS A DRAFT AGREEMENT ON HONG
KONG WAS INITIALLED ON BEHALF OF THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ON 26 SEPTEMBER 1985. THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WERE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, AND AN ASSESSMENT OFFICE WAS ESTABLISHED TO COLLATE, ANALYSE AND ASSESS THESE VIEWS. THE OFFICE REPORTED IN NOVEMBER 1984 THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FOUND THE AGREEMENT
ACCEPTABLE. THEIR FINDINGS WERE CONFIRMED BY AN INDEPENDENT TEAM OF MONITORS (CMND 9407 (1984)). PARLIAMENT DEBATED THE AGREEMENT
IN THE LIGHT OF THESE VIEWS AND APPROVED HER MAJESTY'S
*GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO SIGN IT.
5. ON 19 DECEMBER 1985 THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE CHINESE PREMIER SIGNED THE JOINT DECLARATION IN PEKING. ONCE THE HONG KONG ACT 1985 HAD BEEN PASSED BY PARLIAMENT, INSTRUMENTS OF RATIFICATION WERE EXCHANGED ON 27 MAY 1985 AND THE JOINT
DECLARATION ENTERED INTO FORCE IMMEDIATELY. IT WAS REGISTERED BY BOTH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS AT THE UNITED NATIONS ON
12 JUNE 1985.
6.
UNDER THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION HER MAJESTY'S
GOVERNMENT DECLARES THAT IT WILL RESTORE HONG KONG TO THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 1997, AND THE
TWO GOVERNMENTS DECLARE THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT WILL BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO THAT DATE.
BOTH GOVERNMENTS ARE COMMITTED TO THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
JOINT DECLARATION AND ITS ANNEXES.
(B) (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) BASIC LAW
7. UNDER PARAGRAPH 3(12) OF T JOINT DECLARATION THE POLICIES
2
CONFIDENTIAL
of