GRS 550
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 491
CON DENTIAL
HRK 122/1
RECEVED IN HLCISTRY - 7 APR 1986
OF 040329Z APRIL 86
DEM
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA
PA
1AB714
122)
MIPT: HONG KONG AND GATT: BRIEFING OF CONTRACTING PARTIES
1. FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE CHINESE SPEAKING NOTE:
BEGINS
ON HONG KONGIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GATT.
IT IS STIPULATED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF
HONG KONG, WHICH WAS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM IN
BEIJING ON 19 DECEMBER 1984, AND IN ANNEX TO THAT DECLARATION :
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA SHALL, UPON THE RESUMPTION OF THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG ON 1 JULY 1997, ESTABLISH
THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA. THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION
WILL RETAIN THE STATUS OF A FREE PORT AND A SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY, WILL DECIDE ON ITS OWN ITS ECONOMIC AND TRADE POLICIES AND MAY ON ITS OWN, USING THE NAME OF HONG KONG, CHINA'', MAINTAIN AND DEVELOP RELATIONS AND CONCLUDE AND IMPLEMENT AGREEMENTS WITH
STATES, REGIONS AND RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE ECONOMIC, TRADE AND OTHER FIELDS, AND MAY PARTICIPATE IN RELEVANT
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND ACCEDE TO INTERNATIONAL TRADE
AGREEMENTS SUCH AS THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE.
1
HONG KONG HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT AND ACTIVE ROLE IN THE WORLD
TRADE SYSTEM SINCE THE GENERAL AGREEMENT BECAME APPLICABLE TO HONG
KONG ON 28 JUNE 1948. HN ORDER TO ENSURE A CONTINUED SIMILAR ROLE
ON THE PART OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AS FROM
1 JULY 1997, THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS HAVE, IN PURSUANCE OF THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, DECIDED THROUGH CONSULTATIONS THAT EACH SIDE WILL ACCORDING TO GATT ARTICLE XXVI 5
(C), ADDRESS A COMMUNICATION TO THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE GATT.
CONFIDENTIAL
123