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S 500
CONFIDENT AL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1571
OF 220555Z MAY 86
CONFIDENTIAL
HICK
1221
COPY
29 MAY 1985
INDEX
PA
ABIO
:
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA
UKMIS GENEVA PLEASE PASS A CORM TO GARTLAN
MIPT: HONG KONG AND GATT.
BEGINS:
HONG KONG IS DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GATT BY
VIRTUE OF THE DECLARATION MADE BY HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT (HMG)
TO THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE GATT ON 23 APRIL 1986 UNDER THE
PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE XXVH(5)(C) OF THE GATT. THIS DECLARATION
FORMALLY STATED THAT HONG KONG POSSESSES FULL AUTONOMY PN THE
CONDUCT OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS AND OF THE OTHER
MATTERS PROVIDED FOR.IN THE GATT.
2. THIS DECLARATION BY HMG IS RENFORCED BY A PARALLEL DECLARATION
BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT MADE ON THE SAME DAY THAT AS FROM 1 JULY
1997 THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL MEET THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR A CUSTOMS TERRITORY TO BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY AS PRESCRIBED IN GATT ARTICLE XXVII(5)(C), AND THEREFORE MAY, USING THE NAME 'HONG KONG, CHINA", CONTINUE TO BE
DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GATT.
3. BY THESE DECLARATHONS THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HAVE
TAKEN THE NECESSARY CONCRETE STEPS ENVISAGED IN PARAGRAPH 4(A) OF ANNEX IN TO THE JOINT DECLARATION TO SECURE THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION'S RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE GATT AND
THE MFA IN CONTINUATION OF HONG KONG'S CURRENT STATUS.
4. AS HONG KONG HAS FOR SOME YEARS BEEN PLAYING AN AUTONOMOUS ROLE IN THE GATT AND THE MFA FROM WITHIN THE BRITISH DELEGATION THERE WILL BE LITTLE VARIATION OF SUBSTANCE IN OUR FUTURE ROLE ON BEING
DEEMED TO BE CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GATT. ONE CHANGES THAT HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES WILL NOW SPEAK IN HONG KONG'S NAME, RATHER THAN AS 'THE UNITED KINGDOM SPEAKHING FOR HONG KONG'. WITH THIS NEW STATUS, WE SHALL, OF COURSE, CONTINUE TO PLAY OUR FULL PART IN SUPPORT OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES AND PURPOSES OF THE GATT AND IN DEFENCE OF HONG KONG'S RIGHTS THEREUNDER. THE OTHER DIFFERENCE WILL BE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY OUR SHARE OF THE GATT BUDGET, WHICH PREVIOUSLY HAS BEEN PART OF THE UK'S CONTRIBUTION AND BORNE OUT OF UK FUNDS. FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE HAVE ALREADY BEEN VOTED BY THE
FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THIS COUNCIL.
15.
CONFIDENTIAL
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