Hong Kong General Trade Policy

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 APEC Economies

• The trade relationship between Hong Kong and other APEC economies is flourishing. The average annual growth rate in bilateral trade between Hong Kong and other APEC economies was 6% from 2006 to 2010. The bilateral trade between Hong Kong and other APEC economies increased by 25% from HK$4,289 billion in 2009 to HK$5,356 billion in 2010 (vis-à-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 other APEC economies. From 2006 to 2010, the average annual growth rate for re-export trade between the Mainland of China and other APEC economies through Hong Kong was 8%. In 2010, such re-export trade increased by 25% to HK$2,811 billion from HK$2,247 billion in 2009 (vis-à-vis an increase of 23% for Hong Kong's total re-exports in 2010 against 2009).
  
  

• Hong Kong's domestic export of goods to other APEC economies totalled about HK$56 billion in 2010. The top three domestic export categories to other APEC economies in 2010 were:
  

• Plastics in primary forms 
  
  

• Telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment 
  
  

• Jewellery, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares, and other articles of precious or semi-precious materials
  

• Hong Kong's re-export of goods to other APEC economies totalled about HK$2,403 billion in 2010. The top three re-export categories to other APEC economies 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 other APEC economies totalled about HK$2,896 billion in 2010. The top three import categories from other APEC economies 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
  

1. The 21 APEC economies include: Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; China; Hong Kong, China (HKC); Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Philippines; Russia; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; the United States and Viet Nam.

Regional Cooperation Division
Trade and Industry Department
August 2011