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THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1986
THE DECLARATIONS BY THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS MAKE CLEAR THAT THE UK WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG UNTIL 1 JULY 1997, AND THAT WITH EFFECT FROM THAT DATE THE PRC WILL HAVE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION. ACCORDINGLY, OUTSIDE THE TRADE FIELD, HONG KONG'S INTERNATIONAL POSITION AND STATUS HAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED IN ANY WAY BY THESE DECLARATIONS.
TEXTS OF THE BRITISH AND CHINESE DECLARATIONS, AS RELEASED BY THE GATT SECRETARIAT, FOLLOW:
UNITED KINGDOM DECLARATION
1 AM INSTRUCTED BY HER MAJESTY'S PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS TO REFER TO THE DECLARATION MADE BY THE UNITED KINGDOM ON 28 JUNE 1948 CONCERNING THE APPLICATION OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE TO HONG KONG, AND TO DECLARE THAT HONG KONG, BEING A SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY IN RESPECT OF WHICH THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS ACCEPTED THAT AGREEMENT, POSSESSES FULL AUTONOMY IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS AND OF THE OTHER MATTERS PROVIDED FOR IN THE AGREEMENT. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE XXVI(5)(C) OF THE SAID AGREEMENT AND WITH THE WISHES OF HONG KONG, HONG KONG WILL, WITH EFFECT FROM THE DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION, BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE AGREEMENT.
I AM ALSO INSTRUCTED TO STATE THAT, HAVING REGARD TO THE JOINT DECLARATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG, SIGNED IN BEIJING ON 19 DECEMBER 1984, THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL RESTORE HONG KONG TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 1997 AND THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG UNTIL THAT DATE.
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA DECLARATION
I AM INSTRUCTED BY THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, WITH REFERENCE TO THE COMMUNICATION WHICH THE UNITED KINGDOM MISSION IN GENEVA ADDRESSED TO THE DIRECTOR GENERAL TODAY, TO NOTIFY YOUR EXCELLENCY OF THE DECLARATION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AS FOLLOWS:
/IN ACCORDANCE
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