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HKD 30/1
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DSR He (Revised 5/87)
SECRETARY OF STATE'S ARTICLE ON HONG KONG FOR THE
PARLIAMENTARIAN
The dismantling of the British Empire over the past
forty years has produced many challenging problems, none
more challenging than the unique case of Hong Kong.
Unlike other British colonies, Hong Kong has never had
the prospect of independence; and its inhabitants have
always recognised that. 92% of its territory is held on
a 99 year lease that will expire on 1 July 1997,
whereupon it will revert to Chinese sovereignty.
remaining 8% could never be viable on its own. So it has
long been generally recognised that Hong Kong would be
returned to China in 1997. In 1982, when negotiations
between Britain and China began, the fear was that China
would simply reabsorb Hong Kong and that Hong Kong's
distinct way of life would come to an end.
The
What Britain achieved in the Sino-British Joint
Declaration of 1984 was agreement on very specific
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