TNAG-2468-FCO40-3592-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-Hong-Kong-interests-1992 — Page 177

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THE UNITED STATES IS NOT A PARTY TO THE JOINT DECLARATION,

NOR ARE WE IN ANY SENSE A GUARANTOR.

THE U.S. HAS NO SPECIAL

STANDING IN REGARD TO THE AGREEMENT: ORDINARILY IN

INTERNATIONAL LAW, STATES DO NOT TAKE FORMAL POSITIONS ON

BILATERAL AGREEMENTS TO WHICH THEY ARE NOT A PARTY.

HOWEVER, THE U.S. STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT

DECLARATION AND ITS OBJECTIVES. WE BELIEVE THAT THE JOINT

DECLARATION PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S

SEPARATE

AND INCREASINGLY DEMOCRATIZED

POLITICAL SYSTEM

AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISE ECONOMY FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 50 YEARS.

I used

OUR INTEREST OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS IS THAT THE TRANSITION

FROM BRITISH TO CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY BE SMOOTH, THAT HONG KONG'S

CURRENT PROSPERITY AND FAVORABLE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION

CONTINUE, THAT DEMOCRATIZATION ADVANCES, AND THAT THE U.S.

RELATIONSHIP WITH HONG KONG BE SUSTAINED AND STRENGTHENED.

BEFORE 1997, IT IS PRIMARILY INCUMBENT ON THE PRC AND THE

BRITISH GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO PRESERVE

HONG KONG'S ESSENTIAL CHARACTER; AFTER 1997, THAT TASK WILL BE

CHINA'S ALONE. OBVIOUSLY, HOW CHINA EXERCISES ITS SOVEREIGNTY

OVER HONG KONG WILL AFFECT AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARDS CHINA.