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GOVERNMENTS ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG, SIGNED IN PEKING ON 19 DECEMBER 1984, PROVIDES THAT THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF CHINA, WHICH WILL COME INTO EXISTENCE ON 1 JULY 1997,
WILL RETAIN THE STATUS OF A SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY: MAY ON
ITS OWN CONCLUDE RELEVANT AGREEMENTS WITH STATES, REGIONS AND
RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS: AND MAY PARTICIPATE IN
RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE
AGREEMENTS SUCH AS THE GATT.
4.
TO GIVE EFFECT TO THESE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT
DECLARATION, THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HAVE NOW AGREED THAT THEY WILL MAKE PARALLEL DECLARATIONS TO THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL
OF THE GATT. THE PURPOSE OF OUR PRESENT APPROACH IS TO GIVE
ADVANCE INFORMATION OF OUR INTENTIONS AND TO SEEK UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT WE PROPOSE. THE PRC EMBASSY WILL BE MAKING A SIMILAR
DEMARCHE.
5.
THE BRITISH DECLARATION WILL REFER TO THE DECLARATION
MADE BY THE UK ON 28 JUNE 1948 CONCERNING THE APPLICATION OF THE
GATT TO HONG KONG: DECLARE THAT HONG KONG, BEING A SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY IN RESPECT OF WHICH THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS
ACCEPTED THAT AGREEMENT, POSSESSES FULL AUTONOMY IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS AND OF THE OTHER MATTERS
PROVIDED FOR IN THE AGREEMENT: AND DECLARE THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE XXVI(5) (C) OF THE GATT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WISHES OF HONG KONG, HONG KONG WILL WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE AGREEMENT.
6.
THE CHINESE DECLARATION WILL RECALL THE PROVISIONS IN THE JOINT DECLARATION ACCORDING TO WHICH THE HONG KONG SAR OF CHINA WILL DECIDE ITS ECONOMIC AND TRADE POLICIES ON ITS OWN. IT WILL
GO ON TO DECLARE THAT AS FROM 1 JULY 1997 THE HONG KONG SAR WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A CUSTOMS TERRITORY TO BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY AS PRESCRIBED IN GATT ARTICLE XXVI(5)(C), AND THEREFORE MAY, USING THE NAME OF HONG KONG, CHINA', CONTINUE TO BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GATT.
7.
THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ARE CONFIDENT THAT THIS PROCEDURE IS FULLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE
GATT. THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY INFORMAL ADVICE FROM THE GATT
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