6. The Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of the People's Republic of China declare that land leases in Hong Kong and other related matters will be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of annex III to this Joint Declaration.
7. The Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of the People's Republic of China agree to implement the preceding declarations and the annexes to this Joint Declaration.
8. This Joint Declaration is subject to ratification and shall enter into force on the date of the exchange of instruments of ratification, which shall take place in Beijing before 30 June 1985. This Joint Declaration and its annexes shall be equally binding.
Done in duplicate at Beijing on 19 December 1984 in the English and Chinese languages, both texts being equally authentic.
| For the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: | For the Government of the People's Republic of China: |
| [Signed] | [Signed] |
| Margaret Thatcher | Zhao Ziyang |
ANNEX I
Elaboration by the Government of the People's Republic of China of Its Basic Policies regarding Hong Kong
The Government of the People's Republic of China elaborates the basic policies of the People's Republic of China regarding Hong Kong as set out in paragraph 3 of the Joint Declaration of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Question of Hong Kong as follows:
I
The Constitution of the People's Republic of China stipulates in Article 31 that "the state may establish special administrative regions when necessary. The systems to be instituted in special administrative regions shall be prescribed by laws enacted by the National People's Congress in the light of the specific conditions." In accordance with this Article, the People's Republic of China shall, upon the resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong on 1 July 1997, establish the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China shall enact and promulgate a Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the Basic Law) in accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, stipulating that after the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region the socialist system and socialist policies shall not be practised in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and that Hong Kong's previous capitalist system and life-style shall remain unchanged for 50 years.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative region shall be directly under the authority of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China and shall enjoy a high degree
