Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong

treaty [1984]

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July 22, 2026

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The Sino-British Joint Declaration was an agreement signed in 1984 between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China concerning the future of Hong Kong. This declaration paved the way for the handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997, ending 156 years of British rule.123

Under the terms of the declaration, Hong Kong became a special administrative region of China, operating under the principle of "one country, two systems". This arrangement allowed Hong Kong to maintain its capitalist economy, legal system, and a high degree of autonomy in most matters, except for foreign policy and defense, for a period of 50 years. The agreement aimed to ensure that Hong Kong's social and economic systems, as well as its lifestyle, would remain unchanged.12

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handover of Hong Kong
…had been initiated by the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong, signed by the heads of the two governments in December 1984. The agreement stipulated that under Chinese rule the HKSAR would enjoy a high degree of autonomy, except in matters of foreign relations and defense, and…
Read More
…had been initiated by the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong, signed by the heads of the two governments in December 1984. The agreement stipulated that under Chinese rule the HKSAR would enjoy a high degree of autonomy, except in matters of foreign relations and defense, and…
Read More