Background
1.
Instructions.
Hong Kong's present constitution is provided for
provided for in the Hong
Kong Letters Patent and Royal
When British
sovereignty over Hong Kong ends on 1 July 1997, these instruments
will cease to have effect.
2.
Declaration
on Hong Kong's
Under the Sino-British Joint
future, the provisions under which Hong Kong will become a Special
Administrative Region of the PRC will be stipulated in a Basic Law
which will embody and elaborate on the provisions of the Joint
The Chinese National People's Congress
has set up a
Declaration.
Basic Law Drafting Committee, including Hong Kong members, to
prepare a draft of the Basic Law by 1988 for promulgation by the NPC
in 1990. The BLDC has also established a Basic Law Consultative
Committee to consult with a wide range of Hong Kong opinion as the
work of drafting proceeds.
3.
Mr Atkinson is a member of the Hong Kong Parliamentary Group.
HONG KONG DEPARTMENT
FCO
25 November 1986