TNAG-2785-FCO40-4004-Hong-Kong-UK-Parliamentary-and-other-interest-in-constitutio-1993 — Page 26

fu

March 1993

Mr T Sackville, MP

House of Commons

य

4/103113

Mr Ricketts, HKLA

letter

at 41 film tooolled волосомал

London SW1A OAA

VMY

6.5. Derey 3113

beth

30/2

Thank you for your letter of 19 March reporting the

concerns of your constituent Mr Brown of 4 Shrewsbury Road,

Heaton, Bolton over the current negotiations about Hong Kong.

As Mr Brown may be aware we obtained title to a small proportion (8%) of Hong Kong in 1842 and 1860. The treaties by which we

did so both implicitly recognised that before then Hong Kong had

been part of China. Lord Palmeston memorably described Hong

Kong in Parliament as 'a barren rock with hardly a house upon it'. In fact the Hong Kong Government estimate that at the time of the ceding of Hong Kong there were 3650 people living there as well as some 2000 residing permanently in boats in the

harbour.

The vast majority of the land area of Hong Kong was obtained on a 99 year lease which is due to expire in 1997. The British

Government concluded in the early 1980s that the 8% of Hong Kong not covered by the lease would not be viable without the remaining 92%. The option of trying to retain Hong Kong Island and Kowloon in the face of what would have been strong Chinese opposition was rejected. The prospect of such a split would

have wrecked the economy/and future of Hong Kong.

To ensure the future/success of Hong Kong under Chinese sovereignty after July 1997, we concluded with China Joint Declaration of 1984.

1984. This guarantees (in considerable detail) that Hong Kong's way of life will continue for 50 years after

1997. We remain convinced that the Joint Declaration is the

best and surest foundation for the future of Hong Kong.

(

ALASTAIR GOODLAD

HKCC 012/5 RECEIVED IN

+ APR 1993

DESK OFFICER INDEX

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