TNAG-1413-FCO40-1889-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-report-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 95

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PERMANENT IDENTITY CARDS, WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WISH TO ISSUE FROM 1 JULY 1987, TO REMAIN VALID UNTIL THEY ARE REPLACED

AFTER 1997 BY IDENTITY CARDS OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL

ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.

(F) LEGISLATION AND TREATIES

13.

IN DUE COURSE HONG KONG WILL ASK FOR ORDERS IN COUNCIL TO BE

MADE, UNDER THE HONG KONG ACT 1985, ENABLING THE HONG KONG

GOVERNMENT TO ENACT LOCAL LEGISLATION TO REPLACE UNITED KINGDOM

LAWS WHICH AT PRESENT APPLY TO HONG KONG. EXAMPLES OF SUCH LAWS

ARE THOSE RELATING TO MERCHANT SHIPPING AND CIVIL AVIATION.

TREATIES AFFECTING HONG KONG, AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR SETTING UP A

COURT OF FINAL APPEAL IN HONG KONG, ARE ALSO BEING LOOKED INTO.

SOME OF THESE SUBJECTS, PARTICULARLY THE QUESTION OF ENSURING THE CONTINUED APPLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS

AFFECTING HONG KONG, WILL BE DISCUSSED WITH THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP.

(G) SHIPPING

14.

IN MAY 1985 THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ISSUED A CONSULTATIVE

DOCUMENT OUTLINING INITIAL THINKING FOR A SEPARATE, AUTONOMOUS

HONG KONG REGISTER OF SHIPPING: THERE WAS A CONSTRUCTIVE RESPONSE

FROM THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY, WHICH IS NOW BEING STUDIED.

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

III.

15. FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN

WORKING TO DEVELOP IN HONG KONG A GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE BASED

SECURELY UPON EXISTING INSTITUTIONS WHICH AT ALL LEVELS WOULD BE

BOTH RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING SOCIETY AND

APPROPRIATE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND

PROSPERITY. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT, WHO OF COURSE REMAIN ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG, HAVE

THROUGHOUT GIVEN THEIR AGREEMENT AND SUPPORT TO THIS PROCESS.

THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS DESCRIBE BOTH THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

AND THE CHANGES MADE AS A RESULT OF THE NOVEMBER 1984 HONG KONG

WHITE PAPER.

(A) DISTRICT BOARDS

16.

WHILE A REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM OF LOCALLY ELECTED ELDERS AND

COUNCILS SERVING THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION OF THE NEW

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