Mr David Sumberg MP
House of Commons
London SW1A OAA
01215
*DISC: 147 Ps/M Goodlad.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 14 JUĮ 1993
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Thank you for your letter to Douglas Huld of 8 Júly enclosing
two letters from your constituent Mr A,M Gunton of 52 Hays
Road Prestwich, Manchester M25 5JY. The letter on contributions to the cost of Operation Granby has been passed to the Ministry of Defence for their reply. to deal
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In answer to the questions on Hong Kong raised in Mr Gunton's
second letter, Britain concluded three treaties with the
Imperial Chinese Government relating to Hong Kong: The Treaty
of Nanking in 1842 under which Hong Kong Island was ceded in
perpetuity; the Convention of Peking 1860 under which the
southern part of the Kowloon peninsula and Stonecutters Island
were ceded in perpetuity; and the Convention of Peking 1898
under which the New Territories (comprising 92% of the land
area of the territory) were leased to Britain for 99 years
from 1 July 1898.
In the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which entered into
force in 1985, the United Kingdom agreed to restore Hong Kong
to the People's Republic of China with effect from 1 July
1997. All the land in Hong Kong (including Hong Kong Island,
Kowloon and the New Territories) will revert to Chinese
sovereignty on that date. Although there is no reference in
the Joint Declaration to any of the nineteenth century
treaties, it will have the effect of terminating all three of
them on 30 June 1997.
Should Mr Gurton have any further questions on Hong Kong he
would be welcome to write directly to Rod Bunten in Hong Kong
Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London SW1A 2AH.
10.0.
Alastair Goodlad
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