TNAG-1655-FCO40-2303-Hong-Kong-and-the-Customs-Co-operation-Council-(CCC)-1987 — Page 151

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO IMMEDIATE FOO

TELNO 949

260607Z MAY 87

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

INFO PRIORITY BRUSSELS

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

MIPT: HONG KONG AND THE CCC

1.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF THE DRAFT CHINESE SPEAKING NOTE FOR USE PY THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN BRUSSELS IN THEIR APPROACH TO THE

DECRETARY-GENEPAL OF THE CCC:

DRAFT TEXT OF A SPEAKING NOTE FOR USE BY THE CHINESE EMPASSY, DPUSSELS, FOR THE APPROACH TO THE SECPETARY GENERAL OF THE CUSTOMS COOPERATION COUNCIL

EXCELLENCY,

TODAY, I AM INSTRUCTED TO CALL ON YOU TO FORMALLY SEEK YOUR OPINIONS ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S STATUS IN THE CUSTOMS COOPERATION COUNCIL. AS YOU MAY BE WELL AWARE, THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS TOOK ACTIONS LAST YEAR TO DECLARE THAT HONG KONG WAS DEEMED A SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GATT ON APRIL 23, 1996 AND THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE DEEMED A SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GATT AS THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE SEQION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AS FROM 1997.

SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GOVERNMENTS OF OUR TWO COUNTRIES HAVE DISCUSSED THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S STATUS IN THE CUSTOMS COOPERATION COUNCIL AND REACHED A COMMON VIEW THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR HONG KONG TO ACQUIRE THE STATUS OF A SEPARATE MEMBER OF THE CCC AD REMAIN SO AS FROM 1997 AS THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S PEPUBLIC OF CHINA, IN THE LIGHT OF THE SIMILARITY SETWEEN CERTAIN OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE CATT AND THE CONVENTION ESTABLISHING THE COC.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG AND ANNEX 1 TO THE ECLAPATION CIGNED IN BEIJING ON DECEMBER 19, 1984 BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S PEPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THE GOVERMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WILL ESTABLISH THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE PEGION UPON PESUNING THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG ON 1 JULY 1997. THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION SHALL PETAIN THE STATUS OF A FREE POPT AND A SEP PATE CUSTONG TERRITORY, HAVE THE RIGHT TO FORMULATE ON ITS OWN ECONOMIC AND TRADE PULICIES AND USING THE NAME OF HONG KONG, CHINAT↑ AY ON ITS OWN MAISTAIN THE DEVELOP RELATIONS IN THE FCONOMIC TRADE AND OTHER

,

FIELDS, CONCLUDE AND HIPLEMENT PELEMANT ACREMENTS WITH STATES. I REGIONS

Confidential