BRIEF NO 36
Hong Kong
BACKGROUND
A.
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
1.
The initialling in Peking on 26 September of the Sino-British agreement on Hong Kong's future marked the culmination of two years of intensive and confidential negotiations. These were agreed with Chinese leaders when the Prime Minister visited Peking in September 1982. The agreed common aim of the negotiations was the maintenance of Hong Kong's stability and prosperity. The British Government's aim was to seek a settlement which would ensure
stability and prosperity and be acceptable to Parliament, China and the people of Hong Kong.
2. We entered the negotiations to end the uncertainty generated by the deadline of 1997 when our lease on the New Territories
(comprising 92% of Hong Kong's total land area) is due to expire.
The remaining 8%, ceded in perpetuity to Britain in the 19th Century (1842 Treaty of Nanking and 1860 Convention of Peking) is not viable
alone.
3.
We believe the agreement reached with the Chinese Government
to be the best possible guarantee of continuing stability and prosperity for Hong Kong. It enshrines, in a form legally binding upon the parties to it, the arrangements which will prevail in
Hong Kong for 50 years after 1 July 1997. At that time British administrative responsibility for Hong Kong will cease and Hong Kong will become a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. The agreement provides for a smooth transition
to Hong Kong's new status, for a high degree of autonomy for the
future SAR, and for the continuation of the essential elements of
Hong Kong's systems and way of life. A note on its key provisions
is attached.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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