TNAG-1655-FCO40-2303-Hong-Kong-and-the-Customs-Co-operation-Council-(CCC)-1987 — Page 139

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CONFIDENT | AL

FM PEKING

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 993

OF 010826Z JUNE 87

Confidential

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, BRUSSELS

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40

MIPT: HONG KONG AND THE CCC

1.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF PARAS 3 AND 4 OF THE DRAFT CHINESE

SPEAKING NOTE AS HANDED BY PIGOTT TO LIN ZHIYING ON 1 JUNE:

BEGINS

PARA 3

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ON THE

QUESTION OF HONG KONG AND ANNEX 1 TO THE DECLARATION SIGNED IN BEIJING ON DECEMBER 19, 1984 BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE

PEOPLES'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WILL ESTABLISH THE HONG KONG SPEICAL

ADMINISTRATIVE REGION UPON RESUMING THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY

OVER HONG KONG ON JULY 1, 1997. THE HONG KONG SPECIAL

ADMINISTRATIVE REGION SHALL RETAIN THE STATUS OF A FREE PORT AND A

SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY, HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE

ON ITS OWN ECONOMIC AND TRADE

POLICIES AND USING THE NAME OF THONG KONG, CHINA'' MAY ON ITS OWN

MAINTAIN AND DEVELOP RELATIONS IN THE ECONOMIC, TRADE AND OTHER FIELDS, CONLCUDE AND IMPLEMENT RELEVANT AGREEMENTS WITH STATES,

REGIONS AND RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTICIPATE IN

RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND CONFERENCES NOT LIMITED TO STATES. THUS, THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR BECOMING A SEPARATE MEMBER OF THE CCC AS A

SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY IN THE LIGHT OF ARTICLE 11 (A) (11) OF

THE CONVENTION ESTABLISHING THE CCC. PRIOR TO THE RESUMPTION OF THE

EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG BY THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG RESTS WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM. AFTER RESUMING THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY

OVER HONG KONG IN 1997, THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WILL HAVE

THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. THE COMMON DESIRE OF BOTH

THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS IS THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM

SHOULD APPLY FOR THE STATUS OF A SEPARATE MEMBERSHIPS FOR HONG KONG

IN THE LIGHT OF THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE CONVENTION

ESTABLISHING THE CCC AND THAT AS FROM JULY 1, 1997, THE HONG KONG

SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION SHOULD RETAIN SUCH STATUS. TO THIS

END, THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES HAVE, THROUGHT CONSULTATION,

DECIDED THAT THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE TWO COUNTRIES WILL MAKE

SEPARATE DECLARATIONS TO THE CCC.

Confidential

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