TNAG-1603-FCO40-2210-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-reports-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kon-1987 — Page 242

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9.

The royal visit

Kong people.

It

was

undoubtedly greatly enjoyed by the ..ong

was a symbol of the continuing commitment of the United Kingdom to Hong Kong, in the period of transition up

up to 1997;

echoed by

by Her Majesty's own words to the people of Hong Kong:

you move towards a new phase in your development,

always be with you".

"As

our thoughts will

IV.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION

(a)

Contacts with the Chinese Government

there

have been a number of meetings

Majesty's Government and Chinese Ministers,

10.

between

Over the past

members of Her

year

at which Hong Kong has been discussed. Both sides have reaffirmed their commitment to the full and faithful implementation of the

Joint Declaration in the interests of maintaining Hong Kong's

prosperity and stability.

historic visit of Her Majesty The

Queen to China

October 1986 demonstrated the close and cordial

relationship between the United Kingdom and China, a relationship in

in

which

agreement

on the

significant part.

The

question

of

has Hong . Kong

played a

(b)

11.

Sino-British Joint Liaison Group

a

The second, third, fourth and fifth meetings of the Joint

Liaison Group have taken place during the period covered by this report. Good progress has been made in agreeing detailed practical

to make enable Hong Kong arrangements

smooth transition from

British Dependent Territory to Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China in accordance with the Joint Declaration. The Group's principal achievements in this period have been:

(i)

to

in

Agreement that Hong Kong should be deemed a separate

contracting party to the eneral Agreement on Tariffs

and Trade and should continue

that status after 1997

in the name of

became the GATT's

1986.

China". "Hong Kong,

91st

contracting

Hong

Kong duly

party on 23 April

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