TNAG-2212-FCO40-3172-Hong-Kong-annual-report-for-1990-1991 — Page 42

III.

HONG KONG AND CHINA

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(a) Sino-British Relations

3.

The

The Government continue to consider close and friendly

relations with China as important in themselves and of direct benefit to Hong Kong. They regard a cooperative

relationship with China as essential to the territory's future well-being. During 1990, Her Majesty's Government

have worked for a steady improvement in Sino-British relations, particularly after the difficulties of 1989. then Minister with responsibility for Hong Kong, Mr Francis

Maude, visited Peking in July. In October, the 12 member states of the European Community decided on a relaxation of the restrictive measures taken against China in June 1989.

In November, the Chinese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs,

Mr Tian Zengpei, visited London.

(b) Basic Law

4.

The Joint Declaration provides that the basic policies of the People's Republic of China regarding Hong Kong will

be stipulated in a Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and will remain unchanged for fifty

years. Enacted and promulgated on 4 April 1990 by the National People's Congress, the Basic Law is the product of

extensive consultations with the people of Hong Kong,

conducted over a period of five years by the Chinese

authorities. Her Majesty's Government took a very close interest in this process, making their views known to the Chinese authorities through a variety of channels. Their

concern throughout the drafting process was to ensure

consistency between the Basic Law and the provisions of the

Joint Declaration. On the whole they are satisfied that

this has been achieved and that the Basic Law provides a

ALAAEV/2

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