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CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

contracting party and therefore may, using the name of 'Hong Kong, China' continue to be deemed to be a separate contracting party to the GATT. By their respective declarations, therefore, the British and Chinese Governments have taken the necessary concrete steps to secure the continuance of Hong Kong's participation in the GATT and the MFA in the years leading to and beyond 1997.

Hong Kong Government Offices Overseas

The Hong Kong Government maintains representative offices in Geneva, Brussels, Wash- ington, New York, San Francisco and London mainly to safeguard and advance Hong Kong's economic and commercial interests overseas.

The Geneva Office represents Hong Kong in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The office keeps under review developments arising from the deliberations in the GATT and other international organisations in Geneva and has been heavily involved in the past year in multilateral discussions on the future of the Multi-Fibre Arrangement and the preparatory process on the New Round of multilateral trade negotiations. The Brussels Office represents Hong Kong's economic and related interests concerning the European Community and the governments of Member States (other than the United Kingdom). The New York, Washington and San Francisco offices keep under review economic or other developments, proposed legislation, and other matters in the United States of America that might affect Hong Kong's economic interest in general and two-way trade with the United States in particular. The San Francisco Office was opened in July in recognition of the need to provide a more comprehensive cover of Hong Kong's interests in the United States, in the light of the growth in protectionist sentiments there and the threat which they pose to Hong Kong's trading interests. The New York and San Francisco Offices incorporate the Industry Department's industrial investment promotion offices. -

Compared with other overseas offices, the London Office carries a much wider range of functions. It acts as a point of direct contact between Hong Kong and British Government Departments, Members of Parliament, the media and organisations with an interest in Hong Kong and keeps under review British commercial, economic and industrial develop- ments and official thinking on international trade policies, and advises the Hong Kong Government on the likely repercussions of these developments. In addition, the office represents Hong Kong, wherever necessary, in commercial relations consultations for certain European countries, and it incorporates an Industrial Promotion Office to advise United Kingdom firms about opportunities for investment in Hong Kong industries. The office also provides assistance to Hong Kong people in the United Kingdom, including Hong Kong students, supervises the recruitment and training of Hong Kong public servants in the United Kingdom as well as providing publicity services aimed at projecting Hong Kong's image there. In view of Britain's role in the implementation of the Joint Declaration and her constitutional responsibilities for Hong Kong until 1997, the London Office will continue to occupy a special place among Hong Kong's overseas offices.

Details of representation overseas are at Appendix 2.

Public Service

The Public Service provides the staff for all government departments and other units of the Administration. With Hong Kong's centralised form of government, the Public Service operates a wide range of services which in many countries would be administered by other public authorities. These include medical services, public works and utilities, urban