Six-Monthly Report to Parliament on Hong Kong: January-June 2017
The UK Government published its latest Six-Monthly Report to Parliament on Hong Kong, covering developments from 1 January to 30 June 2017, as well as some of the events surrounding the 20th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong on 1 July.
The report covers a broad range of political and economic developments and an overview of UK-Hong Kong bilateral activity over the reporting period.
Writing in his foreword the Foreign Secretary, The Rt Hon. Boris Johnson MP, says:
We judge that ‘One Country, Two Systems’ has generally functioned well since 1997. We can look back at Hong Kong’s significant achievements over the last 20 years since the handover, and look forward to many more in the years to come. However, at the same time, we cannot ignore that important areas of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ framework are coming under increasing pressure.
The Foreign Secretary also refers to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which he makes clear remains as valid today as when it was signed by the UK and China over thirty years ago. The Foreign Secretary makes clear it is a legally binding treaty registered with the UN, which continues to be in force, and that the UK Government is committed to monitoring its implementation closely.
It remains the UK Government’s view that, for Hong Kong’s future success, it is essential that Hong Kong enjoys, and is seen to enjoy, the full measure of its high degree of autonomy and rule of law as set out in the Joint Declaration and enshrined in the Basic Law, in keeping with the commitment to ‘One Country, Two Systems’. The UK Government also believes that renewed dialogue on political reform would further support stability and prosperity in Hong Kong.
Further information
Read the report in full: Six monthly report on Hong Kong: January to June 2017
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