TNAG-1150-FCO40-1430-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-European-Community-1982 — Page 67

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SUBJECT:

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND HONG KONG

As you know, Hong Kong has a relationship with the

Community which is unlike that of any other territory.

On the one hand, from a constitutional point of view,

Hong Kong is a dependent territory of a member state,

the UK. But on the other hand Hong Kong does not

enjoy any of the various types of association with

the Community but is regarded as a third country

for the purposes of the Community's external relations;

and, in keeping with this status, Hong Kong pursues an

active commercial policy quite independent of that of

the UK and has separate diplomatic representation

on commercial matters in a number of posts, including

Brussels and Geneva.

2.

This unique and in some ways anomalous situation

gives rise to two practical problems in relation to the

representation of the Presidency in Hong Kong.

The first is that in the list of member states'

representation in third countries (10760/81 (RELEX 84))

Hong Kong is listed as an ordinary third country, with no

indication of its status as a dependent territory.

Given the importance and the 'arms-length' nature

of the Community's trading relationship with Hong Kong,

Enclosures-flag(s)...........

3.

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