TNAG-1338-FCO40-1770-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 208

A NEW HISTORICAL ERA AND PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WITH A COMMON WILL PUT THEIR EFFORTS TOWARDS AN INDUSTRIOUS STRUGGLE ACHIEVE THE THREE MAIN TASKS OF SOCIALIST MODERNISATION, REUNIFICATIO

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OF THE MOTHERLAND, AND OPPOSITION TO HEGEMONISM AND MAINTENANCE OF WORLD PEACE. SOLVING THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG LEFT OVER FROM HISTORY

WAS A PART OF THE AGENDA.

THE BASIC POLICIES OF OUR COUNTRY FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE HONG KONG QUESTION ARE:

(1) TO RECOVER HONG KONG AND RESUME THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY NO LATER THAN 1997:

(11) ON THE PREMISE OF RECOVERING THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY, TO PRESERVE HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY.

TO ACHIEVE THE BASIC POLICIES OF OUR COUNTRY FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE HONG KONG QUESTION OUR COUNTRY'S LEADERS AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION PROPOSED THE ADOPTION OF A SERIES OF SPECIAL POLICIES TO SOLVE THE HONG KONG QUESTION ACCORDING TO THE CONCEPT OF ''ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS''. ACCORDINGLY, ON THE BASIS OF SOLICITING OPINIONS FROM A WIDE RANGE OF COMPATRIOTS AND PEOPLE FROM ALL SPHERES IN HONG KONG OUR GOVERNMENT PROMPTLY FORMULATED OUR BASIC POLICIES REGARDING HONG KONG.

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IN DECEMBER 1982 THE 5TH SESSION OF THE 5TH NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS PASSED THE CONSTITUTION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA' ARTICLE 31 OF WHICH STIPULATED THAT: ''THE STATE MAY ESTABLISH SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS WHEN NECESSARY. THE SYSTEMS TO BE INSTITUTED IN SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS SHALL BE PRESCRIBED BY LAW, ENACTED BY THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS IN THE LIGHT OF THE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS THIS PROVIDED THE LEGAL BASIS FOR OUR COUNTRY, AFTER RESUMING THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY, TC ESTABLISH A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION IN HONG KONG AND TO CARRY OUT POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OF THE MAINLAND.

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ON 15 MAY 1984, PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG, IN MAKING HIS GOVERNMENT WORK REPORT' TO THE SECOND SESSION OF THE 6TH NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, PUT FORWARD THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF OUR BASIC POLICIES REGARDING HONG KONG. ON 30 MAY, THE SECOND SESSION OF THE 6TH NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS PASSED AN APPROPRIATE MOTION APPROVING THE WORK REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT'', THEREBY CONFIRMING OUR GOVERNMENT'S BASIC POLICIES FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE HONG KONG QUESTION.

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