TNAG-1338-FCO40-1770-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 206

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THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG INCL

A MAIN DOCUMENT, IE. THE JOINT DECLARATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF

THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE

GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE QUESTION OF

HONG KONG, AND THREE ANNEXES. THE THREE ANNEXES ARE: ''ELABORATION

BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA OF ITS BASIC

POLICIES REGARDING HONG KONG': 'SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP":

AND LAND LEASES'', IN ADDITION THE TWO GOVERNMENTS WILL, AT THE

TIME OF FORMAL SIGNATURE OF THE AGREEMENT, EXCHANGE MEMORANDA ON

THE QUESTION OF THE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS OF CERTAIN HONG KONG

RESIDENTS.

THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE HONG KONG QUESTION WAS REACHED

THROUGH PATIENT AND CAREFUL DISCUSSION IN WHICH BOTH SIDES PUT THE

EMPHASIS ON THE OVERALL SITUATION AND ADOPTED A SPIRIT OF FIRENDLY

COOPERATION. THE AGREEMENT AFFIRMED THAT OUR COUNTRY WILL ON

1 JULY 1997 RECOVER HONG KONG AND RESUME THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY.

AT THE SAME TIME IT RECORDED OUR GOVERNMENT'S BASIC POLICIES

REGARDING HONG KONG AND SET OUT A NUMBER OF OTHER ARRANGEMENTS

FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND

STABILITY. THE SUCCESSFUL SOLUTION OF THE HONG KONG QUESTION IS IN

FULL CONFIRMITY WITH THE BASIC INTERESTS OF THE WHOLE CHINESE

PEOPLE, INCLUDING COMPATRIOTS IN HONG KONG, AND IS A MAJOR

HISTORICAL EVENT WORTHY OF CONGRATULATION.

NOW, ON BEHALF OF THE STATE COUNCIL, I SUBMIT THE COMPLETE TEXT

OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE HONG KONG QUESTION TO THE

STARDING COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS AND OFFER THE

FOLLOWING EXPLANATION AND REPORT ON CERTAIN RELATED MATTERS AND

ISSUES.

1. THE BASIC POLICIES OF OUR GOVERNMENT ON THE SOLUTION OF THE

HONG KONG QUESTION.

HONG KONG, INCLUDING HONG KONG ISLAND, KOWLOON AND THE 'NEW TWRRITORIES'', HAS BEEN A PART OF CHINA'S TERRITORY SINCE ANCIENT

TIMES. IN 1840 BRITAIN LAUNCHED THE OPIUM WAR AND FORCED THE QING

GOVERNMENT TO SIGN THE TREATY OF MANKING IN 1842 CEDING HONG KONG ISLAND. IN 1856 BRITAIN LAUNCHED THE SECOND OPIUM WAR, AND

FORCED THE QING GOVERNMENT IN 1860 TO CONCLUDE THE CONVENTION OF PEKING, CEDING THE AREA OF THE KOWLOON PENINSULA SOUTH OF BOUNDARY

STREET. AFTER THE 1895 SINO/JAPANESE WAR BRITAIN AGAIN SEIZED THE

OPPORTUNITY TO IMPOSE DIVISIONS ON CHINA AND FORCED THE QING

GOVERNMENT IN 1998 TO SIGN THE CONVENTION ON THE EXPANSION AND

INDAO INC A LEASE ON THE LADCE

HOLA KONCI C BOUNDA