Foreign relations of Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
Hong Kong
is a special administrative region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China
(PRC). Under the Basic Law of Hong Kong, its diplomatic relations and defence are the responsibility of the Central People's Government
of the PRC. Nonetheless, Hong Kong has retained considerable autonomy in all other aspects, including economic and commercial relations, and customs control. Hong Kong continues to be an active, independent member of the World Trade Organization
(WTO) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) forum in the name of Hong Kong, China.
before 1 July 1997. Prior to the implementation of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Act 1996 enacted by the British Parliament, Hong Kong represented its interests abroad through the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
s (HKETOs) and via a special office in the British Embassies or High Commissions, but the latter has ceased after the sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred to the PRC
and became a special administrative region (SAR) of the PRC in 1997. At present, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices under the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in countries that are the major trading partners of Hong Kong, including Japan
, Canada
, Australia
, Singapore
, the United Kingdom
, Belgium
, Switzerland
, the United States
and the European Union
. These offices serve as the official representative of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR in these countries. Its major functions include facilitating trade negotiations and handling trade related matters, inter-government relations with foreign governments; the promoting of investment in Hong Kong; and liaising with the media and business community. The Hong Kong Government has also set up the Hong Kong Tourism Board
with offices in other countries and regions to promote tourism.
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The Hong Kong Government has also a liaison office in Beijing
, and an HKETO at Guangzhou
, Guangdong
. A few more HKETOs will be set up in cities of China in the future. The Central People's Government of the PRC also maintains a liaison office in Hong Kong. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a representative office in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces serious challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine
to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides a conduit for money laundering
; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people.
Hong Kong has its own immigration policy and administration. Permanent residents of Hong Kong with PRC nationality hold a different type of passport, called the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport, which is different from that for PRC citizens in Mainland China
. Residents of Hong Kong and China need a passport
-like document (the "Home Return Permit
" for Hong Kong residents and the exit endorsement for Chinese residents) to cross the Hongkongese
-Chinese
border
. Visitors from other countries and regions not participting in waiver programme are required to apply for visas directly to the Immigration Department of Hong Kong.
member states, unlike other countries, were represented in Hong Kong by Commissioners. However, since the 1997 handover, they have been renamed consulates. Owing to Hong Kong's economic importance, and the large number of British passport holders, the British Consulate-General http://www.britishconsulate.org.hk is the largest of its kind in the world and larger than many embassies.
Most countries maintain consulates in Hong Kong. However, despite their name, these consulates are not subordinate to their country's embassy to the PRC in Beijing. For example, the British Consulate-General, Hong Kong and Macao is directly subordinate to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
of the UK rather than the British embassy in the Chinese capital. The Consul-General of the United States, likewise, holds ambassadorial rank, and reports to the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs in the U.S. Department of State; in contrast, the U.S. Consuls-General posted to Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenyang report to the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing who is directly subordinate to the U.S. ambassador.
is managed through the Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council (ECCPC) and Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council (ECCC). Meanwhile, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office is a de facto
mission of the Republic of China
(Taiwan) in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
is a special administrative region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(PRC). Under the Basic Law of Hong Kong, its diplomatic relations and defence are the responsibility of the Central People's Government
Central People's Government
The Central People's Government is the central government of the People's Republic of China in Beijing. According to the 1982 Constitution, "Central People's Government" is synonymous with the State Council.-History:...
of the PRC. Nonetheless, Hong Kong has retained considerable autonomy in all other aspects, including economic and commercial relations, and customs control. Hong Kong continues to be an active, independent member of the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
(WTO) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim countries that seeks to promote free trade and economic cooperation throughout the Asia-Pacific region...
(APEC) forum in the name of Hong Kong, China.
Overview
Hong Kong was under British ruleColonial Hong Kong
In the 19th century the British, Dutch, French, Indians and Americans saw Imperial China as the world's largest untapped market. In 1840 the British Empire launched their first and one of the most aggressive expeditionary forces to claim the territory that would later be known as Hong Kong.In a few...
before 1 July 1997. Prior to the implementation of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Act 1996 enacted by the British Parliament, Hong Kong represented its interests abroad through the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices are the representations of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China abroad and in mainland China...
s (HKETOs) and via a special office in the British Embassies or High Commissions, but the latter has ceased after the sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred to the PRC
Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong
The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, referred to as ‘the Return’ or ‘the Reunification’ by the Chinese and ‘the Handover’ by others, took place on 1 July 1997...
and became a special administrative region (SAR) of the PRC in 1997. At present, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices under the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in countries that are the major trading partners of Hong Kong, including Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. These offices serve as the official representative of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR in these countries. Its major functions include facilitating trade negotiations and handling trade related matters, inter-government relations with foreign governments; the promoting of investment in Hong Kong; and liaising with the media and business community. The Hong Kong Government has also set up the Hong Kong Tourism Board
Hong Kong Tourism Board
The Hong Kong Tourism Board is a Government-subvented body founded in 2001. The Board replaced the Hong Kong Tourist Association established in 1957...
with offices in other countries and regions to promote tourism.
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and an HKETO at Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
. A few more HKETOs will be set up in cities of China in the future. The Central People's Government of the PRC also maintains a liaison office in Hong Kong. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a representative office in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces serious challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides a conduit for money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people.
Hong Kong has its own immigration policy and administration. Permanent residents of Hong Kong with PRC nationality hold a different type of passport, called the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport, which is different from that for PRC citizens in Mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. Residents of Hong Kong and China need a passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
-like document (the "Home Return Permit
Home Return Permit
A ‘Home Return Permit’ , also referred to as a ‘Home Visit Permit’ or ‘China Back Home Pass’ , is the colloquial name for the national identity document officially known as the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents issued to PRC citizens who are permanent residents of Hong Kong...
" for Hong Kong residents and the exit endorsement for Chinese residents) to cross the Hongkongese
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
-Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
border
Border
Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...
. Visitors from other countries and regions not participting in waiver programme are required to apply for visas directly to the Immigration Department of Hong Kong.
International organisation participation
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Overseas representation in Hong Kong
When Hong Kong was a British colony, CommonwealthCommonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
member states, unlike other countries, were represented in Hong Kong by Commissioners. However, since the 1997 handover, they have been renamed consulates. Owing to Hong Kong's economic importance, and the large number of British passport holders, the British Consulate-General http://www.britishconsulate.org.hk is the largest of its kind in the world and larger than many embassies.
Most countries maintain consulates in Hong Kong. However, despite their name, these consulates are not subordinate to their country's embassy to the PRC in Beijing. For example, the British Consulate-General, Hong Kong and Macao is directly subordinate to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
of the UK rather than the British embassy in the Chinese capital. The Consul-General of the United States, likewise, holds ambassadorial rank, and reports to the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs in the U.S. Department of State; in contrast, the U.S. Consuls-General posted to Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenyang report to the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing who is directly subordinate to the U.S. ambassador.
Relations with Taiwan
From 2010, the relationship between the territory and TaiwanRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
is managed through the Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council (ECCPC) and Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council (ECCC). Meanwhile, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office is a de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
mission of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan) in Hong Kong.
See also
- Foreign relations of the People's Republic of ChinaForeign relations of the People's Republic of ChinaThe foreign relations of the People's Republic of China guides the way in which it interacts with foreign nations. As a great power and emerging superpower, China's foreign policy and strategic thinking is highly influential. China officially states it "unswervingly pursues an independent foreign...
- Hong Kong – United States relations
- Foreign relations of MacauForeign relations of MacauAs a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China , Macau's diplomatic relations and defence are the responsibility of the Central People's Government of the PRC...
- List of diplomatic missions in Hong Kong