TNAG-1332-FCO40-1762-Future-of-Hong-Kong-White-Paper-on-the-Joint-Declaration-1984 — Page 122

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SUCH ARRANGEMENTS, AND TO RECOMMEND TO PARLIAMENT THAT

SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL PASS TO CHINA. FOLLOWING

THIS, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT SOUGHT TO EXPLORE WITH THE CHINESE

THE IMPLICATIONS OF THEIR PROPOSALS FOR HONG KONG AS A SPECIAL

ADMINISTRATIVE REGION. IN THESE DISCUSSIONS THE CHINESE SIDE

FURTHER ELABORATED THEIR IDEAS ON THE POLICIES WHICH THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT WERE PROPOSING TO PURSUE IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997.

11.

IN APRIL 1984 THE TWO SIDES COMPLETED INITIAL DISCUSSION OF

THESE MATTERS. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OUTSTANDING UNRESOLVED

POINTS, BUT IT WAS BY THEN CLEAR THAT AN ACCEPTABLE BASIS FOR AN

AGREEMENT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE. AT THE INVITATION OF THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY VISITED PEKING

FROM 15 TO 18 APRIL. DURING HIS MEETINGS WITH CHINESE LEADERS

THE TWO SIDES REVIEWED THE COURSE OF THE TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF

HONG KONG, AND FURTHER PROGRESS WAS MADE. IN HONG KONG ON

20 APRIL SIR GEOFFREY HOWE MADE A STATEMENT ON HER MAJESTY'S

GOVERNMENT'S APPROACH TO THE NEGOTIATIONS. HE SAID THAT IT WOULD

NOT BE REALISTIC TO THINK OF AN AGREEMENT THAT PROVIDED FOR

CONTINUED BRITISH ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997: FOR

THAT REASON HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN EXAMINING WITH THE

CHINESE GOVERNMENT HOW IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO ARRIVE AT

ARRANGEMENTS THAT WOULD SECURE FOR HONG KONG, AFTER 1997, A HIGH

DEGREE OF AUTONOMY UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY, AND THAT WOULD

PRESERVE THE WAY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG, TOGETHER WITH THE

ESSENTIALS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEMS. HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT HER

MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT WERE WORKING FOR A FRAMEWORK OF ARRANGEMENTS

THAT WOULD PROVIDE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF HONG KONG'S FLOURISHING

AND DYNAMIC SOCIETY, AND AN AGREEMENT IN WHICH SUCH ARRANGEMENTS

WOULD BE FORMALLY SET OUT.

12. AFTER SIR GEOFFREY HOWE'S VISIT IN APRIL NEGOTIATIONS

CONTINUED. A WORKING GROUP WAS ESTABLISHED IN JUNE 1984 TO MEET

FULL-TIME IN PEKING AND CONSIDER DOCUMENTS TABLED BY BOTH SIDES.

IN JULY 1984 THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY AGAIN VISITED

PEKING. THE VISIT WAS DEVOTED ALMOST ENTIRELY TO THE FUTURE OF

HONG KONG. SIR GEOFFREY HOWE ANNOUNCED IN HONG KONG ON 1 AUGUST

THAT VERY SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE TOWARDS AGREEMENT ON

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