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it could be difficult to gain international acceptance for a flag which misrepresented the nationality of the vessel. The natural solution would be some form of defaced Chinese flag. There seems to me, however, no need to spell all this out in the working paper or to decide the details now. I would suggest that the paragraph should simply read - "Ships registered in Hong Kong would be eligible for registration in the Hong Kong SAR (with the right to fly a distinctive flag as ships of 'Hong Kong, China')".
Paragraph 7(b)
In the legal sense companies are persons. I suggest changing "persons and companies" to read "persons (including companies)".
2 February 1984
4. Burrows
F Burrows
Legal Counsellor
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