TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices
These offices seek to promote Hong Kong's economic and trade interests by enhancing understanding of the Special Administrative Region among opinion- formers; closely
closely monitoring
monitoring developments that might affect the
the Special Administrative Region's economic and trading interests, such as proposed legislation; and liaising closely with the business and commercial sectors, politicians and the media. They also have a role in promoting Hong Kong's image overseas.
The Geneva Office represents Hong Kong, China, as a Member of the WTO. It also represents Hong Kong as an observer on the Trade Committee of the OECD in Paris, and is responsible for commercial relations with Switzerland.
The Brussels Office represents Hong Kong's economic and trade interests to the European Commission and (through the commission) the majority of the Member States of the EU. It also monitors Hong Kong's economic and trade relations with a number of European Countries.
The London Office promotes Hong Kong's economic and trade interests in the United Kingdom. It also looks after inward investment promotion in Finland, Norway and Sweden, and houses Hong Kong's representative to the International Maritime Organisation.
The offices in Toronto, Tokyo, Singapore and Sydney closely monitor economic and trade developments, proposed legislation and other matters in their host countries which may affect Hong Kong's trade and economic interests.
Offices in Washington, DC, New York and San Francisco look after Hong Kong's economic, commercial and public relations interests in the USA.
Participation in International Organisations
World Trade Organisation
The WTO oversees the implementation of the multilateral rules and disciplines agreed to at the Uruguay Round of negotiations for trade in goods, services and trade- related aspects of intellectual property rights. It also serves as a forum for multilateral trade negotiations. The multilateral trading system under the WTO is the cornerstone of the HKSAR's external trade policy. The HKSAR supports a strong and credible multilateral trading system to sustain global trade liberalisation and economic growth.
The HKSAR is a founding member of the WTO. Its separate membership status reflects the autonomy in the conduct of its external commercial relations which is guaranteed under the Basic Law of the HKSAR.
The first WTO ministerial conference, held in Singapore in December 1996, underscored the credibility and pre-eminent role of the rule-based multilateral trading system in fostering progressive global trade liberalisation. The HKSAR participates actively in the work of the WTO to ensure the faithful implementation of the WTO work programme which covers, among other things, reviews of the various WTO agreements, preparation for the overall negotiations on services, and studies on the new issues identified in the Singapore ministerial conference including the inter- relationship between trade and investment, the interaction between trade and
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