CONFIDENTIAL
HONG KONG BILL
INSTRUCTIONS TO PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL
Pa
DSR 11C
In
A
1.
A Bill is required to enable the United Kingdom to before 30 June 1985
ratify the Joint Declaration (paper A) of the Government
of the UK and the Government of the People's Republic of
China on the question of Hong Kong, before 30 June 1985,
and for other purposes connected with the Joint Declaration. Land the Sub-Committan
Hong Kong of the Cabinet Defence and
Overson Policy Commit The Cabinet Committee on legislation gave policy approval
on
24
La
9 November, Treference] (paper B), and the Lord President
gave drafting authority in
tpaper
Sovereignty
2. The main prerequisite for ratification of the Joint
Declaration will be a provision in the Bill dealing with
sovereignty. In the view of HMG the UK has sovereignty
over the ceded parts of Hong Kong and an international
lease of the New Territories, all being collectively known
as "Hong Kong" (see paragraph 3 of the White Paper,
paper A).
China claims to have sovereignty already over
the whole of Hong Kong. The Joint Declaration does not
attempt to solve this dispute, but paragraphs 1 and 2
make it clear that the United Kingdom will have to
recognise China's sovereignty with effect from 1 July 1997.
For this purpose the United Kingdom will have to divest
itself of sovereignty over the ceded areas. In this
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