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9.
The royal visit
Kong people.
It
was
undoubtedly greatly enjoyed by the ..ong
was a symbol of the continuing commitment of the United Kingdom to Hong Kong, in the period of transition up
up to 1997;
echoed by
by Her Majesty's own words to the people of Hong Kong:
you move towards a new phase in your development,
always be with you".
"As
our thoughts will
IV.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION
(a)
Contacts with the Chinese Government
there
have been a number of meetings
Majesty's Government and Chinese Ministers,
10.
between
Over the past
members of Her
year
at which Hong Kong has been discussed. Both sides have reaffirmed their commitment to the full and faithful implementation of the
Joint Declaration in the interests of maintaining Hong Kong's
prosperity and stability.
historic visit of Her Majesty The
Queen to China
October 1986 demonstrated the close and cordial
relationship between the United Kingdom and China, a relationship in
in
which
agreement
on the
significant part.
The
question
of
has Hong . Kong
played a
(b)
11.
Sino-British Joint Liaison Group
a
The second, third, fourth and fifth meetings of the Joint
Liaison Group have taken place during the period covered by this report. Good progress has been made in agreeing detailed practical
to make enable Hong Kong arrangements
smooth transition from
British Dependent Territory to Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China in accordance with the Joint Declaration. The Group's principal achievements in this period have been:
(i)
to
in
Agreement that Hong Kong should be deemed a separate
contracting party to the eneral Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade and should continue
that status after 1997
in the name of
became the GATT's
1986.
China". "Hong Kong,
91st
contracting
Hong
Kong duly
party on 23 April
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