ENG-2002 — Page 149

COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris.

The London Office promotes Hong Kong's economic and trade interests in the United Kingdom and non-EU countries including Switzerland, Norway, Central and Eastern European countries, Malta and Cyprus. It also accommodates Hong Kong's representative to the International Maritime Organisation.

The offices in Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto are responsible for bilateral economic and trade relations in their host countries. The Sydney Office is also responsible for promoting Hong Kong's economic and trade interests in New Zealand. The Singapore Office is responsible for Hong Kong's commercial relations with the member states of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN). It also serves as a direct point of contact with the Secretariats of APEC and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), which are located in Singapore.

The Washington Office focuses on monitoring and liaising with the US Administration, Congress and think tanks on legislation and government policies that may have implications for Hong Kong's trade with the United States. The New York Office and the San Francisco Office are responsible for promoting economic and trade relations between Hong Kong and individual US states.

The Guangdong Office, which came into service in July 2002, is situated in Guangzhou City. Its main duties are to promote trade and economic relationships between Hong Kong and Guangdong, and to provide better support services for Hong Kong businesses operating in Guangdong, especially the Pearl River Delta. It is also the first economic and trade office to be established in the Mainland.

Customs and Excise Department

The Customs and Excise Department is responsible for enforcing various trade control systems, including the certification of origin system, the textiles import and export control system, the strategic commodities control system and the import and export declaration system. These systems aim to protect and facilitate legitimate trade. The department is also responsible for enforcing the criminal law for the protection of copyright and trade marks, as well as enforcing consumer protection legislation relating to the safety of various commodities, the integrity of weights and measures, and the marking of precious metals. In addition, to ensure that Hong Kong has an adequate supply of rice, which is an essential foodstuff for the local population, at a reasonably stable price, the department monitors the local stock of rice.

Intellectual Property Department

The Intellectual Property Department runs the Trade Marks, Patents, Designs and Copyright Licensing Bodies Registries, advises on policy and legislation related to intellectual property protection, provides civil intellectual property legal advice to the Government, and promotes public awareness of and respect for intellectual property rights.

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