Prime Minister Tony Blair will attend the handover ceremony, he told Parliament last night, but there is no question of him being present for the inauguration of the provisional legislature.
Mr Blair, who made his decision after it was announced senior Chinese leaders would be present, told MPs that Britain owed a 'considerable obligation to the people of Hong Kong'.
While he made no reference to not attending the swearing-in, the Foreign Office later said: 'The Government's position on the provisional legislature is well-known. There has never been any question of British ministers attending.' The news came just 24 hours after US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright made it clear she would not be at the swearing-in.
Both Downing Street and the Foreign Office have raised the issue with Washington and European Union foreign ministers and it seems likely the matter will be discussed at next week's European Summit. One British fear is that countries with a more pro-China stance, such as France and Germany, may be happy to be represented at the swearing-in.
Governor Chris Patten last night welcomed Mr Blair's announcement. 'It underlines the strong personal and political interest Mr Blair has consistently taken in Hong Kong and is a reflection of the importance Hong Kong continues to have in British foreign policy.' Meanwhile, American legislators travelling to Hong Kong to witness the handover yesterday vowed to join Ms Albright's boycott.
Congressman Christopher Cox and Senator Frank Murkowski, who are jointly leading an official congressional delegation to the territory, backed the administration's decision.