relative file path for layout
Skip to main content  Skip to search  Skip to main menu
Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
MY COLOUR

Press Releases

Public consultation on the proposed Hong Kong and New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership Agreement
Friday, May 11, 2001

The HKSAR Government announced on 17 April 2001 that Hong Kong will negotiate a Closer Economic Partnership (CEP) Agreement with New Zealand, as part of the efforts to strengthen trading ties between the two economies.

Trade and Industry Department (TID) today launched a four-week consultation exercise inviting comments from key stakeholders to assist the Government in formulating its position in the CEP negotiations.

"New Zealand is Hong Kong's major trading partner in the South Pacific Ocean region. Our total bilateral trade in goods already topped HK$ 5.9 billion in 2000, representing an increase of 12% over 1999," a spokesman of TID said.

The CEP negotiations will encompass a wide-ranging scope covering the following areas, among others:

  1. early elimination of tariffs on all goods of Hong Kong and New Zealand origin;

  2. a set of forward-looking rules of origin which could encourage bilateral trade;

  3. liberalisation of potentially distortive instruments in their bilateral trade, such as safeguard, anti-dumping and subsidies measures;

  4. liberalisation and promotion of bilateral investment; and

  5. liberalisation of trade in services.

The spokesman said, "The CEP Agreement is particularly important to our traders who are exporting to New Zealand or are interested in the New Zealand market, in both goods and services. They are encouraged to give their views and comments to the Department, "

A consultation document setting out the detailed scope of the negotiations and a preliminary analysis on key areas has been released. The paper is available at the Trade and Industry Department Tower (Address: 700 Nathan Road, Kowloon) and at the Department's website: www.info.gov.hk/tid/. Apart from the general public, the Trade and Industry Advisory Board, the Textiles Advisory Board, major trade and business associations, and professional bodies will be consulted.

Comments on the consultation document should be addressed to the Trade and Industry Department by mail (Trade and Industry Department Tower, 700 Nathan Road, Kowloon), by fax (2390 7479), or by e-mail (mdiv1@tid.gov.hk) on or before 14 June 2001.