RESPONSIBILITIES NOW.
- 4
UNDER THE AGREEMENT, HONG KONG WILL ENJOY A HIGH DEGREE OF
AUTONOMY IN ALL OTHER MATTERS. THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, OR SAR, WILL HAVE ITS OWN GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATURE
COMPOSED OF LOCAL RESIDENTS. THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND
FREEDOMS OF ITS RESIDENTS ARE TO BE ENSURED BY LAW, AND
INDEPENDENT COURTS WILL ENFORCE THESE LAWS.
CHINA'S SOCIALIST
HONG KONG WILL SYSTEM WILL NOT BE IMPOSED IN HONG KONG. CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE AFTER 1997 IN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
AND ORGANIZATIONS WHICH ARE OPEN TO NON-STATES, SUCH AS THE
GATT AND APEC.
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.
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