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The undisrupted supply of high-technology goods to Hong Kong is essential for maintaining our status as a regional centre of finance, banking, telecommunications and trade, and for the on-going technological upgrading of our manufacturing industries. So far, our performance in the area of strategic trade controls has been regarded as exemplary by our trading partners and we have gained relative easy access to high-technology products. In order to maintain their effectiveness in this fast changing field, we have to keep our system and legislation under constant review and follow closely the highest standard of control accepted by the international community.
In view of the risks of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, a number of international regimes have been established to prevent their proliferation. In addition to control over the import and export of these weapons, some key members of these regimes have introduced legislation on the provision of services which assist the proliferation of these weapons. We have studied their examples and come to the conclusion that legislation on the brokerage of deals of weapons of mass destruction is an essential element of a comprehensive system of strategic trade controls.
The Weapons of Mass Destruction (Control of Provision of Services) Bill makes it an offence for a person to provide services in Hong Kong if he believes or reasonably suspects that the services may or will assist the development, production, acquisition or stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction in Hong Kong or elsewhere. Provision of services is defined broadly to cover different sorts of assistance including the provision of work of a professional nature and the provision of financial assistance. The term "weapons of mass destruction" is defined to cover biological, chemical and nuclear weapons and their means of delivery. Our proposed scope of control is similar to that provided in the legislation of our trading partners. Committing an offence under the Bill will incur a maximum penalty of imprisonment of seven years and unlimited fine.
With the introduction of the Weapons of Mass Destruction (Control of Provision of Services) Bill, we are moving one further step to perfect our system of control, necessary to ensure the supply of high-tech goods to support our commerce and industry. I hope Members will support what we are aiming to achieve through this Bill. Thank you, Mr President.
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