LURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1986
3
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG, SIGNED IN BEIJING ON 19 DECEMBER 1984, THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA HAS DECIDED TO RESUME THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 1997. HONG KONG WILL, WITH EFFECT FROM THAT DATE, BECOME A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WHICH WILL HAVE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF ANNEX I TO THAT DECLARATION, THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL RETAIN THE STATUS OF A FREE PORT AND A SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY, WILL MAINTAIN THE CAPITALIST ECONOMIC AND TRADE SYSTEMS PREVIOUSLY PRACTISED IN HONG KONG, WILL DECIDE ITS ECONOMIC TRADE POLICIES ON ITS OWN AND MAY ON ITS OWN, USING THE NAME OF HONG KONG, CHINA', MAINTAIN AND DEVELOP RELATIONS AND CONCLUDE AND IMPLEMENT AGREEMENTS WITH STATES, REGIONS AND RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS IN THE ECONOMIC, TRADE AND OTHER FIELDS. SECTION VI OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION FURTHER PROVIDES IN DETAIL THAT THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION MAY PARTICIPATE IN RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS (INCLUDING PREFERENTIAL TRADE ARRANGEMENTS), SUCH AS THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE AND ARRANGEMENTS
ACCORDINGLY, THE REGARDING INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN TEXTILES. GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA DECLARES THAT, WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 1997, THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A CUSTOMS TERRITORY TO BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY AS PRESCRIBED IN GATT ARTICLE XXVI(5)(C), AND THEREFORE MAY, USING THE NAME OF HONG KONG, CHINA', CONTINUE TO BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE.
EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA *****
AT THE THIRD MEETING OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, AGREEMENT WAS REACHED ON TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION FOR HONG KONG RESIDENTS AND RELATED MATTERS. IN CONFIRMATION OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS EXCHANGED MEMORANDA IN PEKING ON 11 APRIL, THE TEXTS OF WHICH ARE AS FOLLOWS:
BRITISH MEMORANDUM
THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA HAVE THE HONOUR TO REFER TO THE DISCUSSIONS IN THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS' TRAVEL DOCUMENTS (INCLUDING BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS) AND RELATED MATTERS AND THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS IN SECTION XIV OF ANNEX I 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.
TO COINCIDE