TNAG-1259-FCO40-1599-The-Future-of-Hong-Kong---special-study-by-FCO--August-1982--1983 — Page 186

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23.

Acknowledgement with some visible signs of Chinese Sovereignty

If the PRC were to insist that there must be some

concrete manifestation of our acceptance that sovereignty

over the whole of Hong Kong will eventually be restored to

China, this might be accommodated by concessions eg the

acceptance of an official Chinese representative, provided

that British administration was maintained without any

serious erosion of the UK's existing powers.

Likely PRC Stand on Sovereignty

24.

It seems probable, however, that the PRC will ask for

more than a token acknowledgement of eventual sovereignty,

even with some visible change, as the price for allowing the

territory a special governmental regime that would preserve

its economic prosperity after 1997. They could well seek

formal abrogation of the 'unequal treaties' to take effect

in or before 1997, thus removing the justification for

British administration in international law. Even if they do

not go as far as this they are likely to want early and

unequivocal recognition by the UK of Chinese sovereignty

over the whole of Hong Kong.

25.

The Chinese appear to envisage that the whole territory

should be incorporated into the PRC as a Special Administrative

Region within the meaning of Article 30 of the new constitution

of the Republic. As such, the territory would be allowed a

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/considerable