TNAG-2893-FCO40-4166-Hong-Kong-localisation-of-laws-merchant-shipping-and-carria-1993 — Page 4

6.

The PRC became a party to the Code on 23 September 1980.

A discussion paper on the British side's proposal for the continued

application of 21 merchant shipping conventions currently applying

to Hong Kong (including the Code) was handed over to the Chinese

side on 3 February 1993. Discussions will in due course take place

in the International Rights and Obligations Sub-group of the Joint

Liaison Group on the action to be taken by the two sides to ensure

the continued application to the Hong Kong Special Administrative

Region after 30 June 1997 of the international rights and

obligations affecting Hong Kong which arise out of these

conventions.

Meanwhile, it is appropriate that the rights and

obligations arising out of the Code should be implemented in Hong

Kong's domestic law by legislation which can continue in force after

30 June 1997.

Proposal

7.

The provisions of the 1982 Act as applied to Hong Kong by

the 1985 Order will lapse as part of the law of Hong Kong on 30 June

1997. The British side therefore proposes to introduce a Bill to

localise those provisions.

The Bill will append the text of the

Code as a Schedule, and will incorporate the Mandatory Provisions

Regulations, modified as in para. 5 above, in another Schedule. The

Regulations will apply

(a) to liner conferences which have their seat in Hong Kong so

far as they serve the trade between States which are

Contracting Parties to the Code;