Press Releases

Sixth Meeting of the Trade Working Group under the Mainland and Hong Kong Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade concluded successfully
Friday, September 13, 2002

The Trade Working Group ("TWG"), set up under the Mainland and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (the "Joint Commission"), held its 6th meeting in Hong Kong today (September 13). The meeting was co-convened by Mr. Joshua Law, Director-General of Trade and Industry, and Mr. Wang Liao-ping, Director-General of the Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC). The two sides exchanged views on a number of issues of mutual interest, including the Mainland's labour working hour system, new customs arrangements on processing trade in the Mainland, and export of mechanical and electrical products to overseas markets.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed Hong Kong business community's suggestion that the Mainland authorities adopt more flexible overtime arrangements to meet the operational needs of the manufacturing industries. The Mainland delegation also briefed the meeting on the implementation of the new customs arrangements on processing trade in the Guangdong Province. These arrangements were put in place as from June 1, 2002. Both sides agreed to continue to make use of the TWG mechanism to promulgate new trade measures to Hong Kong businessmen, and to exchange views on the implementation of these measures.

The two sides also shared their experience in promoting export of mechanical and electrical products, and agreed to strengthen cooperation in exploring overseas markets for various products.

A hyperlink was established between the websites of MOFTEC and the Trade and Industry Department of the HKSAR in August 2002. This arrangement serves to further strengthen the exchange of information, and to facilitate businessmen of the two places in obtaining timely information on economic and trade issues. In addition, the TWG organized two seminars on China's WTO accession in March and July 2002 respectively. The TWG plans to hold a third seminar before the end of the year, to facilitate the business community's better understanding of market opening measures following China's accession to the WTO.

Mr. Joshua Law said that in keeping with the well established spirit of cooperation, both sides exchanged views on pragmatic issues in a friendly atmosphere. He said, "This is the last TWG meeting I convened before I leave the Trade and Industry Department to take up my new posting as the Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organisation (PRG). Thanks to the support of Director-General Wang Liaoping and his colleagues from MOFTEC and other ministries, the TWG has achieved good, practical results in the past three years. Following China's accession to the WTO, I am sure that the TWG will have an even greater role to play in the years ahead as a forum for the Hong Kong and the Mainland authorities to discuss trade and economic issues of mutual interest, and to further promote trade and economic development between the two places."

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