The agreement is the outcome of two years of negotiations which
began following The Prime Minister's visit to Peking in September
1982. It was the fact that the New Territories, which make up 92%
of the land area of Hong Kong, are subject to a lease which expires
on 30 June 1997 which lay behind Her Majesty's Government's decision to enter into negotiations with the Chinese Government on Hong
Kong's future.
After twenty two formal rounds of talks and two visits by Sir
Geoffrey Howe to Peking the agreement was initialled in Peking on 26
September 1984. It was published in draft as a White Paper in
London and Hong Kong and widely circulated. The people of Hong Kong were given a full opportunity to express their views on the
agreement to an Assessment Office established in the territory.
Assessment Office reported on 23 November that most of the people of
Hong Kong found the draft agreement acceptable. This conclusion was
endorsed by the independent Team of Monitors appointed by Sir
Geoffrey Howe to oversee the work of the Assessment Office.
reports were published in a White Paper on 29 November.
Both
The House of Commons debated the agreement, in the light of these
reports, on 5 December 1984, and endorsed without division the
Government's intention to sign the agreement. The House of Lords
expressed the same view on 10 December. The Prime Minister,
accompanied by Sir Geoffrey Howe, visited Peking and signed the
agreement on 19 December. They then visited Hong Kong.
Both sides will now move
The
towards bringing the agreement into force.
As part of that process the British side needs to enact legislation
in order to be able to ratify the agreement before 30 June 1985, as
provided for in paragraph 8 of the Joint Declaration.
The Hong Kong Bill provides for the termination of British
sovereignty and jurisdiction with effect from 1 July 1997. It
accords diplomatic privileges and immunities to
to the five Chinese
members of the Joint Liaison Group who will attend meetings of the
Group in London. The Bill also enables subsequent Orders in Council
to deal with changes in British nationality laws and
laws and to make the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.