TNAG-1604-FCO40-2211-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-reports-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kon-1988 — Page 20

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stability.

(b)

4.

Sino-British Joint Liaison Group

The sixth, seventh and eighth meetings of the Joint Liaison

Group took place in the course of 1987. Further significant

progress has been made in agreeing practical arrangements to

ensure that Hong Kong's transition from British dependent territory

to Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China

is a smooth one in full accordance with the Joint Declaration. In

this period the Group's main achievements have been :

(i)

Agreement that Hong Kong should become a separate member

of the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC) and should

continue as such after 1997 in the name of "Hong Kong,

China". Hong Kong was duly accepted as the 99th member

of the CCC on 25 June 1987. As a result of the Group's

efforts Hong Kong now has, and will retain after 1997, a

separate standing in relation to the General Agreement

on Tariffs and Trade, the Multi-Fibre Arrangement and

the CCC. It is thus better placed to protect its own

interests in world trade before and after 1997.

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

Agreement on the continued application to Hong Kong of

relevant international labour conventions and on Hong Kong's continuing participation in the activities of the

International Labour Organisation after 1997.

Agreement that Hong Kong should continue to participate

in the activities of subsidiary bodies of the Food and

Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in the

Asian Pacific region after 1997 in the name of "Hong Kong, China".

Agreement that Hong Kong should continue its associate

membership of the United Nations Economic and Social

Commission for Asia and the Pacific after 1997, and

agreement on the practical steps needed to achieve Hong Kong's continued participation after 1997 in the

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