Britain's new Hong Kong minister says there will no search for a 'soft relationship' with China or a washing of hands over the territory.
Foreign Office minister Derek Fatchett said human rights were an important part of the country's relations with Beijing.
The Government believed the way it stood by the territory after June 30 would be a key to the way the rest of the world viewed Britain.
With Foreign Secretary Robin Cook having just declared a new 'mission statement' for British foreign policy with emphasis on human rights, Mr Fatchett said: 'If we are serious about the mission statement, then we have to take our responsibilities to Hong Kong seriously.
'There can be no washing of hands after July 1, there can be no looking for a soft relationship. We want a warm relationship with China but it is not going to be a relationship in which we cast ourselves as subordinates looking for gifts.
'It is going to be a relationship of two equals because we have equal responsibility in terms of Hong Kong. We are no longer the sovereign power but we have responsibility under the treaties we signed.' Mr Fatchett was spelling out details of Labour's approach for the first time since taking office.