TNAG-1372-FCO40-1818-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 111

[CPIAMU]

CONFIDENTIAL

MR RENTON'S VISIT TO HONG KONG (27-31 OCTOBER 1985)

27.

KOWLOON WALLED CITY

1.

The Kowloon Walled City is a few acres of high rise slum in

East Kowloon. It has been a cause of difficulty to the Hong Kong

Government since the end of

the Second World War. The problem is

created by the 1898 Convention which leased the New Territories to the United Kingdom for 99 years, but provided "that within the city

of Kowloon the Chinese officials there shall continue to exercise

jurisdiction except so far as may be inconsistent with the military

requirements for the defence of Hong Kong". In 1899 the Chinese

officials were expelled and

British recognition of Chinese

However controversy

jurisdiction withdrawn by Order in Council.

over the exact status of the Kowloon Walled City has continued since

that date and the Chinese Government has opposed periodic attempts

by the Hong Kong Government to exercise full jurisdiction over the

The most recent example of Chinese attempts to exploit the

status of the area was Xu Jiatun's visit shortly after he took over

as NCNA chief in Hong Kong. He visited the Walled City and

described it as a good example of Hong Kong

Kong people administering

Hong Kong.

area.

2.

carry

As a result, the Hong Kong Government has been unable to out significant development or improvements and was

time

prevented from properly enforcing the laws of Hong Kong in the

Walled City. An attempt to clear the Walled City in 1963 was

abandoned in the face of protests from

from the Chinese Government who,

not withstanding their position on the legality of the Convention,

asserted that "the city of Kowloon

is China's territory within China's jurisdiction, has all along been so in history". Following the improvement in relations with China in the early 1970s the Hong

Kong Government hac progressively extended its control over the Walled City and improvements have been made.

3.

bed of

The Walled City remains a slum of the worst kind and a hot

The Hong Kong Government believe that the

which states that HMG will

crime.

ratification of the

Joint Declaration,

CONFIDENTIAL

DEL