HONG NG'S HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY
Geneva.
14. In practice the Hong Kong Government has enjoyed
extensive autonomy for many years. We are now seeking
wherever possible to formalize those arrangements so as
to allow the Hong Kong authorities to exercise now the
high degree of autonomy that Hong Kong is to enjoy after
1997. The Hong Kong Government manages most of its
internal affairs by itself, while keeping HMG generally
informed. Hong Kong also exercises full autonomy in
external trade matters and, as a separate contracting
party to the GATT, has its own representation the GATT in
There are plans for similar representation to
the EC. We are also encouraging the establishment of
free standing Economic and Trade Offices in the capitals
of some of Hong Kong's major trading partners.
Similarly, through the Air Services separation process,
we are seeking to ensure that Hong Kong's autonomy in
aviation matters is a well established fact before 1997.
This is important for the preservation of Hong Kong's
role as an important international civil aviation centre,
and for the protection of the legitimate interests of
Hong Kong airlines. Such autonomy is not of course
inconsistent with the progressive introduction of more
liberal civil aviation policies, which we are urging the
Hong Kong authorities to adopt, and which would be in the
wider interests of Hong Kong and the travelling public.