The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China presents its compliments to the Embassy of the Republic of Portugal in China and has the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the latter's note No. 309, dated December 4, 1996, which reads as follows: "The Embassy of the Republic of Portugal in China presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Portugal, has the honour to confirm that, with the common desire to develop friendly relations and enhance consular relations between the two countries, the two sides have, through friendly consultations, reached the following agreement concerning the maintenance by the Republic of Portugal of its Consulate-General in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China: 1. The Government of the People's Republic of China agrees to the maintenance by the Government of the Republic of Portugal of its Consulate-General in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The consular district of the Consulate-General of the Republic of Portugal shall be the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

2. The Government of the People's Republic of China shall, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 24 April 1963 and the relevant laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China, accord necessary assistance and facilities to the Consulate-General of the Republic of Portugal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the exercise of consular functions.

3. The operation of the Consulate-General of the Republic of Portugal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be regulated by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 24 April 1963.

4. The two sides shall handle consular matters between them in a friendly manner in the spirit of consultation and cooperation, and in accordance with international law and practice.

If the above agreement is confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the Government of the People's Republic of China in a note of reply, this note and the reply from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall constitute an Agreement between the two governments and shall enter into force on 1 July 1997." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the honour, on behalf of the Government of the People's Republic of China, to confirm its agreement to the contents of the note.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy the assurances of its highest consideration.

OFFICIAL TRANSLATION No 309 THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL IN CHINA PRESENTS ITS COMPLIMENTS TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND, ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL, HAS THE HONOUR TO CONFIRM THAT, WITH THE COMMON DESIRE TO DEVELOP FRIENDLY RELATIONS AND ENHANCE CONSULAR RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES, THE TWO SIDES HAVE, THROUGH FRIENDLY CONSULTATIONS, REACHED THE FOLLOWING AGREEMENT CONCERNING THE MAINTENANCE BY THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL OF ITS CONSULATE-GENERAL IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: 1. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AGREES TO THE MAINTENANCE BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL OF ITS CONSULATE-GENERAL IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. THE CONSULAR DISTRICT OF THE CONSULATE-GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL SHALL BE THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.

2. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA SHALL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VIENNA CONVENTION ON CONSULAR RELATIONS OF 24 APRIL 1963 AND THE RELEVANT LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, ACCORD NECESSARY ASSISTANCE AND FACILITIES TO THE CONSULATE-GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION IN THE EXERCISE OF CONSULAR FUNCTIONS.

3. THE OPERATION OF THE CONSULATE-GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION SHALL BE REGULATED BY THE VIENNA CONVENTION ON CONSULAR RELATIONS OF 24 APRIL 1963.

4. THE TWO SIDES SHALL HANDLE CONSULAR MATTERS BETWEEN THEM IN A FRIENDLY MANNER IN THE SPIRIT OF CONSULTATION AND COOPERATION, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW AND PRACTICE.

IF THE ABOVE AGREEMENT IS CONFIRMED BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN A NOTE OF REPLY, THIS NOTE AND THE REPLY FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SHALL CONSTITUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS AND SHALL ENTER INTO FORCE ON 1 JULY 1997.

THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL AVAILS ITSELF OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS THE ASSURANCES OF ITS HIGHEST CONSIDERATION.

BEIJING, 14 DECEMBER 1996 TO: MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS CONSULAR DEPARTMENT BEIJING THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. THE CONSULAR DISTRICT OF THE CONSULATE-GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL SHALL BE THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.

2. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA SHALL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VIENNA CONVENTION ON CONSULAR RELATIONS OF 24 APRIL 1963 AND THE RELEVANT LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, ACCORD NECESSARY ASSISTANCE AND FACILITIES TO THE CONSULATE-GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION IN THE EXERCISE OF CONSULAR FUNCTIONS.

3. THE OPERATION OF THE CONSULATE-GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION SHALL BE REGULATED BY THE VIENNA CONVENTION ON CONSULAR RELATIONS OF 24 APRIL 1963.

4. THE TWO SIDES SHALL HANDLE CONSULAR MATTERS BETWEEN THEM IN A FRIENDLY MANNER IN THE SPIRIT OF CONSULTATION AND COOPERATION, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW AND PRACTICE.

IF THE ABOVE AGREEMENT IS CONFIRMED BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN A NOTE OF REPLY, THIS NOTE AND THE REPLY FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SHALL CONSTITUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS AND SHALL ENTER INTO FORCE ON 1 JULY 1997.

THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL AVAILS ITSELF OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS THE ASSURANCES OF ITS HIGHEST CONSIDERATION.

BEIJING, 14 DECEMBER 1996 TO: MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS CONSULAR DEPARTMENT BEIJING