6. Three rounds of talks between experts were held in the course of the year to discuss the establishment of the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong. There were also useful exchanges on the question of the convergence of civil rights law in Hong Kong before and after 1997, and on the provisions of the Joint Declaration relating to nationality. The group reached agreement in principle on the detail of future arrangements for the surrender of fugitive offenders between Hong Kong and relevant countries. This cleared the way for the Hong Kong Government, under authorisation, to open negotiations with other countries early in 1991. Further agreement was reached on the localisation of United Kingdom legislation applied to Hong Kong. Agreement was reached in principle on Hong Kong's continued participation after 1997 in the activities of the International Telecommunication Satellite Organisation and the International Maritime Satellite Organisation. Discussion continued on other issues, including the transfer of defence responsibilities and Hong Kong's air services agreements. New items were introduced into the Joint Liaison Group agenda, including arrangements for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and for the protection and promotion of investment between Hong Kong and relevant countries.
7. With both sides' Senior Representatives now based permanently in Hong Kong, the working methods of the Joint Liaison Group developed in the course of 1990 to allow a greater range of exchanges, both formal and informal, outside the main plenary sessions. This has been a helpful development which the Government have encouraged. In particular the two sides have agreed that they should aim to be more flexible in the future about arranging plenary meetings, perhaps having more than the traditional three a year, but varying the length of each session according to practical needs. It is hoped that this will contribute to speeding up the pace of the Group's work.
The Sino-British Land Commission held three meetings in Hong Kong in 1990-in March, July and December. Amongst other things, the Commission approved the Land Disposal Programme for the period 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991 and agreed on the average cost of land production for the same period.
9. Under the Joint Declaration, premium income from land transactions is shared equally, after deduction of the average cost of land production, between the Hong Kong Government and future Special Administrative Region Government. At the end of 1990, a total of HK$19-6 billion (£1 -4 billion) had been credited to the account of the future Special Administrative Region Government.
(d) Other Contacts with China
10. Working contacts between Hong Kong and China have increased rapidly in recent years as the interdependent relationship, particularly with neighbouring Guangdong Province, develops. The importance of such contacts was highlighted by the Governor in his annual policy address to the Hong Kong Legislative Council on 10 October, in which he advocated stepping up working level contacts and exchange visits. A copy of the Governor's address is available in the library of the House.
11. During 1990 more than 100 government delegations from Hong Kong visited China. A large number of delegations from China also went to Hong Kong, many of which had contacts with the Hong Kong Government on subjects ranging from liaison between police and customs authorities, to negotiations on water supplies and exchanges on labour and social welfare matters. In November the Financial Secretary visited Shanghai at the invitation of the Mayor, Mr Zhu Rongji, who himself had visited Hong Kong in June. In December the Chief Secretary visited the neighbouring province of Guangdong and the autonomous region of Guangxi. In the opposite direction the Chinese Minister for Energy Resources, Mr Huang Yicheng, visited Hong Kong in December.
12. The Hong Kong Government are actively seeking to encourage more senior Chinese officials to visit Hong Kong, in parallel with the further development of working level visits and exchanges. The visit to Hong Kong in November, as guests of the Hong Kong Government, by a group of officials from the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council was a good example. There are plans for a series of visits to China by various groups of Hong Kong Government officials to familiarise them with the way in which China operates.
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