HICK 040/12
FUTURE
AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG
FILE.
agreement on
future of Hong Kong was signed in Peking by the Prime Minister and 'emier Zhao Ziyang on 19 December 1984.
An
The agreement consists of:
- A Joint Declaration,
in
it
which the United Kingdom declares that will return Hong Kong to
to the People's Republic of China in 1997, the Chinese Government declares
in broad outline towards Hong Kong, and the two Governments agree these declarations and the Annexes:
Annex I in
its policies to implement
different
which the Chinese Government expands on aspects of its policies towards Hong Kong in fourteen sections:
Annex II which sets out the terms of reference and outline working arrangements of a Joint Liaison Group through which the two sides will continue to co-operate up to the year 2000;
-
Annex III which provides for the protection of existing rights and for future land grants.
land
There was an associated Exchange of
of Memoranda on the status after 1997 of people who are now British Dependent Territories citizens.
The
agreement is the result of two years of hard negotiation with the Chinese Government. Its crucial elements are:
an
The Joint Declaration and its three Annexes make up international agreement, legally binding in all its parts. Such an agreement
the highest form of bilateral commitment between
is
sovereign states;
The agreement deals in considerable detail with Chinese policies towards Hong Kong after 1997. It provides a framework in which the people of Hong Kong can work for a secure and prosperous
future;
in
a
in
out - The policies set
the Joint Declaration and will be included in
Basic Law
to be
passed by People's Congress of the People's Republic
Republic of China, maintained for 50 years after 1997.
the Annexes the National and will be
The agreement provides for:
a
Hong Kong to enjoy a high degree of autonomy as
Special Administrative
Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. Socialist policies applied in the Mainland will not be applied to
the SAR.
The people of Hong Kong to continue to enjoy their existing right's and freedoms under Hong Kong law and for the continued application to Hong Kong of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.