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THE UNITED STATES IS NOT A PARTY TO THE JOINT DECLARATION,
NOR ARE WE IN ANY SENSE A GUARANTOR.
THE U.S. HAS NO SPECIAL
STANDING IN REGARD TO THE AGREEMENT: ORDINARILY IN
INTERNATIONAL LAW, STATES DO NOT TAKE FORMAL POSITIONS ON
BILATERAL AGREEMENTS TO WHICH THEY ARE NOT A PARTY.
HOWEVER, THE U.S. STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT
DECLARATION AND ITS OBJECTIVES. WE BELIEVE THAT THE JOINT
DECLARATION PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S
SEPARATE
AND INCREASINGLY DEMOCRATIZED
POLITICAL SYSTEM
AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISE ECONOMY FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 50 YEARS.
I used
OUR INTEREST OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS IS THAT THE TRANSITION
FROM BRITISH TO CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY BE SMOOTH, THAT HONG KONG'S
CURRENT PROSPERITY AND FAVORABLE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION
CONTINUE, THAT DEMOCRATIZATION ADVANCES, AND THAT THE U.S.
RELATIONSHIP WITH HONG KONG BE SUSTAINED AND STRENGTHENED.
BEFORE 1997, IT IS PRIMARILY INCUMBENT ON THE PRC AND THE
BRITISH GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO PRESERVE
HONG KONG'S ESSENTIAL CHARACTER; AFTER 1997, THAT TASK WILL BE
CHINA'S ALONE. OBVIOUSLY, HOW CHINA EXERCISES ITS SOVEREIGNTY
OVER HONG KONG WILL AFFECT AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARDS CHINA.