§ Lord Hughes of Woodsideasked Her Majesty's Government:
What will be the status of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong after the Joint Liaison Group ceases to meet on 1 January 2000. [HL339]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalThe Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong is a treaty registered at the United Nations which creates international rights and obligations for both parties to it. The Joint Declaration has no termination date, although China has made an explicit commitment that its basic policies on Hong Kong, which include maintaining Hong Kong's capitalist system and way of life, will remain unchanged for 50 years from 1 July 1997. Under paragraph 7 of the Joint Declaration, China committed herself to abide by all her commitments in the Joint Declaration.
Her Majesty's Government will continue to take a close interest in developments in Hong Kong and to report to Parliament on the implementation of the Joint Declaration.