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STONECUTTERS ISLAND) WOULD NOT BE VIABLE ALONE. HONG KONG, INCLUDING THE NEW TERRITORIES, HAS SINCE 1898 BECOME AN INTEGRAL
WHOLE AND HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IS SATISFIED THAT THERE IS NO
POSSIBILITY OF DIVIDING THE NEW TERRITORIES WHICH REVERT TO CHINA
ON 1 JULY 1997 FROM THE REMAINDER. THE CHOICE IS THEREFORE
BETWEEN REVERSION OF HONG KONG TO CHINA UNDER AGREED, LEGALLY
BINDING INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS OR REVERSION TO CHINA WITHOUT
SUCH ARRANGEMENTS. THIS IS NOT A CHOICE WHICH HER MAJESTY'S
GOVERNMENT HAVE SOUGHT TO IMPOSE ON THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. IT
IS A CHOICE IMPOSED BY THE FACTS OF HONG KONG'S HISTORY.
30.
HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT BELIEVE THAT THE AGREEMENT IS A
GOOD ONE. THEY STRONGLY COMMEND IT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG
AND TO PARLIAMENT. IT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK TO PRESERVE HONG
KONG'S UNIQUE ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND WAY OF LIFE AS A SPECIAL
ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA FROM 1
JULY 1997. THE AGREEMENT PRESERVES HONG KONG'S FAMILIAR LEGAL
SYSTEM AND THE BODY OF LAWS IN FORCE IN HONG KONG, INCLUDING THE
COMMON LAW. THE AGREEMENT GIVES HONG KONG A HIGH DEGREE OF
AUTONOMY IN WHICH IT WILL BE ABLE TO ADMINISTER ITSELF AND PASS
ITS OWN LEGISLATION. IT WILL ENABLE HONG KONG TO CONTINUE TO
DECIDE ON ITS OWN ECONOMIC FINANCIAL AND TRADE POLICIES, AND TO
PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND TRADE AGREEMENTS
SUCH AS GATT. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE
AGREEMENT PROVIDES THE NECESSARY ASSURANCES ABOUT HONG KONG'S
FUTURE TO ALLOW THE TERRITORY TO CONTINUE TO FLOURISH AND TO
MAINTAIN ITS UNIQUE POSITION IN THE WORLD.
THE AGREEMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG
32. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAVE CONSISTENTLY STATED THAT AN
AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG MUST BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE
PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS WELL AS TO PARLIAMENT. IN HIS STATEMENT
ON 20 APRIL 1984 IN HONG KONG THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN
AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS STATED THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG
WOULD NEED TO HAVE TIME TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE AGREEMENT,
BEFORE IT WAS DEBATED BY PARLIAMENT. THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG
WILL NOW HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
33. THE TEXT OF THIS WHITE PAPER IS ALSO BEING PUBLISHED IN HONG
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/ KONG
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