TNAG-0580-FCO40-713-UK-policy-on-status-of-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 104

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ANNEX I*

LETTER DATED 8 MARCH 1972 FROM THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE

OF CHINA TO THE UNITED NATIONS ADDRESSED TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE

30/9/72.

7/

In connexion with the questions of Hong Kong and Macau, I have the honour to state the following:

As is known to all, the questions of Hong Kong and Macau belong to the category of questions resulting from the series of unequal treaties left over by

Hong Kong and Macau history, treaties which the imperialists imposed on China. are part of Chinese territory occupied by the British and Portuguese authorities. The settlement of the questions of Hong Kong and Macau is entirely within China's sovereign right and does not at all fall under the ordinary category of "colonial Territories". Consequently, they should not be included in the list of colonial Territories covered by the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. With regard to the questions of Hong Kong and Macau, the Chinese Government has consistently held that they should be settled in an appropriate way when conditions are ripe. The United Nations has no right to discuss these questions. For the above reasons, the Chinese delegation is opposed to including Hong Kong and Macau in the list of colonial Territories covered by the Declaration and requests that the erroneous wording that Hong Kong and Macau fall under the category of so-called "colonial Territories" be immediately removed from the documents of the Special Committee and all other United Nations documents.

* Previously issued under the symbol A/AC.109/396.

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-73-

(Signed) HUANG Hua

Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United

Nations