TNAG-1325-FCO40-1737-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 202

-8-

It is against this background that it is possible

to foresee a situation in which Hong Kong would, as

part of China, enjoy a high degree of autonomy which

would last for at least fifty years from 1997.

the

In such a situation, that autonomy would extend

to administration, the maintenance and making of laws

(including the Common Law system), the continuation

of Hong Kong's own long-established and familiar

system of justice and responsibility for public order

in the territory. Under such arrangements,

laws of Hong Kong would be based upon the present

system and existing freedoms would be maintained.

Hong Kong would manage its own public finances.

There would be a place for outside people, from

Britain and elsewhere, to go on making a contribution to

life in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's role as an international financial

and commercial centre if of particular importance

for its prosperity. This depends upon maintaining

its present openness to the world and its extensive

and direct economic relationship with its trading

partners: Arrangements would need to be made, in

co-operation with the other countries concerned, to

ensure that Hong Kong remained an important

participant in regional and world economic organisations

such as the Asian Development Bank and, in particular,

the GATT.