TNAG-1413-FCO40-1889-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-report-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 209

CONFIDENTIAL

7559 - 1

OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA REGARDING HONG KONG WHICH ARE SET OUT IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ELABORATED IN ANNEX I TO IT, WILL BE STIPULATED IN A BASIC LAW FOR THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION BY THE CHINESE NATIONAL PEOPLES CONGRESS, AND WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR 50 YEARS. THE CHINESE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS HAS APPOINTED A 59 MEMBER BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE, 23 OF WHOSE MEMBERS COME FROM HONG KONG. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT A BASIC LAW

CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE WILL BE FORMED IN HONG KONG TO REFLECT THE

VIEWS OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE TO THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE. HER

MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAVE PUBLICLY WELCOMED THE DECISION TO

CONSULT HONG KONG PEOPLE ON A WIDE BASIS ON THE DRAFTING OF THE

BASIC LAW, AND WILL FOLLOW THE DRAFTING PROCESS CLOSELY.

(C) (NEXT THREE WORDS UNDERLINED) JOINT LIAISON GROUP

8.

A SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED UNDER

THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION IN ORDER TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997, AND WITH A VIEW TO THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE GROUP HELD ITS

FIRST MEETING IN LONDON FROM 22 TO 25 JULY. AT THAT MEETING THE

TWO SIDES AGREED ON THE WORKING PROCEDURES OF THE GROUP AND ON

ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG TO REMAIN A MEMBER OF THE ASIAN

DEVELOPMENT BANK AFTER 1 JULY 1997. THE GROUP ALSO DISCUSSED

HONG KONG'S CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON

TARIFFS AND TRADE AND THE MULTI FIBRE ARRANGEMENT AND THE

CONTINUED APPLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS TO

HONG KONG. IT WAS AGREED THAT DISCUSSION OF THESE SUBJECTS WOULD

CONTINUE AT THE SECOND MEETING OF THE GROUP.

(D) (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) LAND COMMISSION

9. A SINO-BRITISH LAND COMMISSION HAS ALSO BEEN ESTABLISHED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION TO MONITOR, CONSULT,

CONSIDER AND DECIDE ON LAND MATTERS PROVIDED FOR IN THE JOINT

DECLARATION. IT HELD FIVE MEETINGS BETWEEN 10 JULY AND 17

OCTOBER 1985, ALL IN HONG KONG. THE COMMISSION QUICKLY REACHED AGREEMENT ON A SERIES OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS FOR USE IN LAND

TRANSACTIONS. BOTH FORM AND WORDING ARE IN KEEPING WITH THE

JOINT DECLARATION. THE COMMISSION ALSO DETERMINED THE LAND

3

CONFIDENTIAL

BISREP