TNAG-1259-FCO40-1599-The-Future-of-Hong-Kong---special-study-by-FCO--August-1982--1983 — Page 165

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J

Hong Kong's external_relations, and in particular for its civil

Such an agreement would need

aviation international relations.

A

to be concluded at the same time as any more general agreement

recognising Chinese sovereignty.

If Hong Kong became

an SAR without the United Kingdom obtaining responsibility

for the conduct of external relations, then the United

Kingdom would lose all its civil aviation rights stemming

from the right to control access to Hong Kong.

Shipping

Present Situation

14. Hong Kong harbour is a key factor in Hong Kong's

development and prosperity.

Strategically located on

Far East trade routes and in the Asia-Pacific basis, and

served by 150 major shipping lines, it is the seventh

largest port in the world in terms of tonnage, cargo and

passengers.

Port Administration

15. The port of Hong Kong is administered not by a port

authority but by the Marine Department of the Hong Kong

Government. Most wharves and terminals as well as the

Kwai Chung container terminal (the third largest in the

world in terms of throughput of containers) are operated

by private enterprise. Hong Kong is an important centre

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