TNAG-1332-FCO40-1762-Future-of-Hong-Kong-White-Paper-on-the-Joint-Declaration-1984 — Page 282

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AND ON THE AGENDA. ON 1 JULY 1983 IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE SECOND PHASE OF THE TALKS WOULD BEGIN IN PEKING ON 12 JULY. PATTERN OF NEGOTIATION IN THE SECOND PHASE, WHICH WAS CONTINUED UNTIL THE END OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, WAS FOR FORMAL ROUNDS OF TALKS TO BE HELD AT INTERVALS OF BETWEEN TWO AND FOUR WEEKS BETWEEN HM AMBASSADOR IN PEKING AND A VICE-MINISTER AT THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY, SUPPLEMENTED AS NECESSARY BY INFORMAL CONTACTS BETWEEN THE TWO DELEGATIONS. THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG TOOK PART IN EVERY ROUND OF FORMAL TALKS AS A MEMBER OF THE BRITISH

DELEGATION.

10.

IN THE COURSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS THE BRITISH SIDE PUT

THE FORWARD A NUMBER OF BACKGROUND AND WORKING PAPERS. BACKGROUND PAPERS EXPLAINED THE SYSTEMS WHICH PREVAIL IN HONG KONG AND THE IMPORTANCE FOR THESE SYSTEMS OF THE BRITISH ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE AND LINK. FOLLOWING DISCUSSION OF THESE PAPERS, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT IN THE CHINESE VIEW SOVEREIGNTY AND THE RIGHT OF ADMINISTRATION OVER HONG KONG WERE INSEPARABLE, AND THAT NO CONTINUATION OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION AFTER 1997 WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO CHINA. THE BRITISH SIDE THEREFORE PROPOSED THAT THE TWO SIDES DISCUSS WHAT EFFECTIVE MEASURES OTHER THAN CONTINUED BRITISH ADMINISTRATION MIGHT BE DEVISED TO MAINTAIN TH STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AND EXPLORE FURTHER THE CHINESE IDEAS WHICH HAD AT THAT STAGE BEEN EXPLAINED TO THEM, IN ORDER TO SEE WHETHER CHINA AND BRITAIN COULD CONSTRUCT ON THIS BASIS ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WOULD ENSURE LASTING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY FOR HONG KONG. THE CHINESE WERE TOLD THAT IF THIS PROCESS WAS SUCCESSFUL, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD RECOMMEND TO PARLIAMENT A BILATERAL AGREEMENT EN SHRINING THE ARRANGEMENTS. FOLLOWING THIS, THE BRITISH SIDE PRESENTED TO THE CHINESE A SERIES OF WORKING PAPERS WHICH TOOK AS THE BASIS FOR DISCUSSION CHINA'S PROPOSALS FOR HONG KONG AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AND EXAMINED THEIR IMPLICATIONS.

11. IN APRIL 1984 THE TWO SIDES COMPLETED INITIAL DISCUSSION OF THE WORKING PAPERS TABLED BY THE BRITISH SIDE, LEAVING A NUMBER OF OUTSTANDING POINTS UNRESOLVED. BOTH SIDES TABLED DRAFTS OF AN AGREEMENT AND ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS. AT THE INVITATION OF THE

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