XN000022-1986-04-24 — Page 6

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THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1986

CHINESE MEMORANDUM

(TRANSLATION)

THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF THE MEMORANDUM DATED 11 APRIL 1986 OF THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA CONCERNING THE ENDORSEMENT H TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND RELATED MATTERS AND, WITH REFERENCE TO THE

HAS RELEVANT DISCUSSIONS OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP THE HONOUR TO ELABORATE THE POSITION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE RELEVANT QUESTIONS RAISED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM AS FOLLOWS:

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS IN SECTION XIV OF ANNEX | TO 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 AND THE PRINCIPLED POSITION CONTAINED IN THE CHINESE MEMORANDUM DATED 19 DECEMBER 1984, THE COMPETENT AUTHORITIES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WILL, WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 1997, PERMIT CHINESE NATIONALS IN HONG KONG WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY CALLED +BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS+ TO USE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, AS REFERRED TO IN THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM, DURING THE PERIOD FROM 1 JULY 1987 TO 30 JUNE 1997 FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRAVELLING TO OTHER STATES AND REGIONS. THOSE AMONG THEM, TOGETHER WITH OTHER PERSONS WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY CALLED +BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS+ WHO ARE HOLDERS OF PERMANENT IDENTITY CARDS OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, WILL HAVE THIS FACT STATED BY ADDING AN ENDORSEMENT TO THE IR ABOVE-MENTIONED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS TO SHOW THE IR THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION. GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WILL RAISE NO OBJECTION TO THE PLAN OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AS MENTIONED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM THAT TRAVEL DOCUMENTS BEARING THIS ENDORSEMENT AND ISSUED BEFORE 1 JULY 1997 WILL REMAIN VALID UNTIL THE IR DUE EXPIRY DATES, WHICH IN MOST CASES WILL BE AFTER 30 JUNE 1997; AND THAT TRAVEL DOCUMENTS RENEWED OR REPLACED AFTER 30 JUNE 1997 WHOSE HOLDERS HAVE THE RIGHT OF ABCDE IN HONG KONG WILL ALSO CONTAIN THE SAME ENDORSEMENT.

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA HAS TAKEN NOTE OF A REFERENCE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM THAT FROM 1 JULY 1987, THE BRITISH HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PLANS TO ISSUE NEW FORMS OF HONG KONG IDENTITY CARDS. AS A TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENT TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WILL PERMIT THE CONTINUED USE, ON AND AFTER 1 JULY 1997, OF THE NEW IDENTITY CARDS ISSUED BY THE BRITISH HONG KONG GOVERNMENT UNTIL THEY ARE REPLACED BY IDENTITY CARDS ISSUED BY THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION GOVERNMENT. FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF ADMINISTRATION, IDENTITY CARDS ISSUED BY THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BEAR THE SAME NUMBERS AS THE NEW IDENTITY CARDS ISSUED IN HONG KONG BEFORE JULY 1997.

/IN ACCORDANCE