Issue
Objective/explanation
7 -
CONFIDENTIAL
Present status/progress
Secretary for Trade and Industry (Cont'd)
China's
Resumption of
GATT
Contracting Party Status
China is likely to insist on including in its Protocol of Resumption a reference to the territorial non-application of the Protocol's provisions to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. This might re-open doubts on HK's separate GATT contracting party status after 1997.
China has invited all GATT contracting parties for tariff concession negotiations in connection with her application for resumption.
Progress in the work of the Working Party has been stalled by the Tiananmen Square incident. HK is not privy to confidential bilateral discussions between China and major players (US, EEC) on the draft Protocol of Resumption.
HK is examining HK/China trade statistics, in the light of which
consideration will be given to whether HK should enter into tariff negotiations with China.
The
Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Exports Controls (COCOM)
Hong Kong's status in the context of COCOM after 1997 has to be sought out. Hong Kong is not a member of COCOM but because UK is, Hong Kong is currently enjoying uninhibited access to the high technology of COCOM member countries.
Both FCO and DTI are supportive of HK's stance on COCOM. TIB is now working out a strategy for approaching the UK, Japan et al.
China
interest*
UK
interest
X
X
X
X
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