TNAG-1839-FCO40-2614-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 16

be agreed by the two sides.

19.

Annex II also lays down in broad terms the agenda

for the JLG in the first half of the period between its

establishment and 1 July 1997. Matters for consideration

during this period include action to be taken by the two

Governments to enable the future Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region to maintain its economic relations

as a separate customs territory, and action to ensure the

continued application of international rights and

obligations affecting Hong Kong.

20. Annex II provides that each State shall designate a

Senior Representative of Ambassadorial rank and four

other members of the Group. The British side's Senior

Representative from the establishment of the Group

following the ratification of the Joint Declaration in

May 1985 until January 1987 was Mr (now Sir) David

Wilson, then Assistant Under-Secretary of State (Asia) at

the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and now Governor of

Hong Kong. Since February 1987 the British Senior

Representative has been Mr Robin McLaren, Sir David

Wilson's successor as Assistant Under-Secretary of State

(Asia). Other British members of the Group have included

the Head of Hong Kong Department at the Foreign and

Commonwealth Office, the Counsellor at the British

Embassy in Peking, and two members drawn from the Hong

Kong Government. The Chinese Senior Representative has

*

throughout been Ambassador Ke Zaishuo.