The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China is firmly committed to an open market policy. This policy applies to all trade, as well as to all investments in the HKSAR.

Hong Kong has become a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China since 1 July 1997. The "One Country, Two Systems" principle provides the HKSAR with a high degree of autonomy in economic, trade, financial and monetary matters. This is guaranteed by the Basic Law, the mini-constitution of the HKSAR, which ensures that the important elements making Hong Kong a regional business and financial centre will extend well beyond 1997, including continuation of capitalist economic and trade systems, free movement of goods and capital, and status as a free port and separate customs territory. Tariff preferences and other similar arrangements obtained by the HKSAR will be enjoyed exclusively by the HKSAR. The Basic Law also provides that the HKSAR may participate in relevant international organizations and international trade agreements under the name "Hong Kong, China".

In 1986, Hong Kong became a separate contracting party to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Hong Kong was one of the original members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) when it was established on 1 January 1995. Hong Kong also became a member of the Customs Cooperation Council (subsequently renamed as the World Customs Organization) in 1987 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 1991. The status of the HKSAR in these and other international organizations remains unchanged except that our participation is now under the name "Hong Kong, China".

Trade Relations with ASEAN¹ 

• In 2010, ASEAN was Hong Kong's 2^nd largest trading partner, after the Mainland of China. Six of the ASEAN countries were among the top 20 trading partners² of Hong Kong (Singapore ranked 5^th, Thailand 9^th, Malaysia 10^th, the Philippines 16^th, Viet Nam 18^th and Indonesia 19^th).
  
  

• The average annual growth rate in bilateral trade between Hong Kong and ASEAN was 8% from 2006 to 2010. The bilateral trade between Hong Kong and ASEAN increased by 30% from HK$509.3 billion in 2009 to HK$663.2 billion in 2010 (vis-ˆj-vis an increase of 24% for Hong Kong's total trade in 2010 against 2009).
  
  

• Hong Kong is also an important entrepôt for trade between the Mainland of China and ASEAN. From 2006 to 2010, the average annual growth rate for re-export trade between the Mainland of China and ASEAN through Hong Kong was 9%. In 2010, such re-export trade increased by 29% to HK$304.4 billion from HK$235.4 billion in 2009 (vis-ˆj-vis an increase of 23% for Hong Kong's total re-exports in 2010 against 2009).
  
  

• Hong Kong's domestic export of goods to ASEAN totalled about HK$7.7 billion in 2010. The top three domestic export categories to ASEAN in 2010 were:
  

• Tobacco and tobacco manufactures
  
  

• Telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment
  
  

• Inorganic chemicals
  

• Hong Kong's re-export of goods to ASEAN totalled about HK$181.3 billion in 2010. The top three re-export categories to ASEAN in 2010 were:

• Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof 
  
  

• Telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment 
  
  

• Office machines and automatic data processing machines
  

• Hong Kong's import of goods from ASEAN totalled about HK$474.1 billion in 2010. The top three import categories from ASEAN in 2010 were:

• Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof
  
  

• Office machines and automatic data processing machines
  
  

• Petroleum, petroleum products and related materials
  

1. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

2. For this ranking of individual ASEAN members, members of the European Union are likewise treated individually.

Regional Cooperation Division
Trade and Industry Department
July 2011