Press Releases

Revised Strategic Commodities Control List Takes Effect Today
Friday, 13 July 2001

The Import and Export (Strategic Commodities) Regulations (Amendment of Schedules 1 and 2) Order 2001, gazetted on 8 June 2001 and tabled in LegCo on 13 June 2001, will come into operation today (13 July 2001).

"On import and export of strategic commodities, Hong Kong has followed closely the control thresholds adopted by the international control regimes as our reference in imposing the licensing requirement. Whenever these regimes introduce changes to their control lists, Hong Kong would follow suit. In adhering to the highest international control standards, we would also seek to exempt traders from licensing control whenever such standards are relaxed," a spokesman for the Trade and Industry Department said.

"The current exercise, for instance, will update the HKSAR control list to reflect the latest changes adopted by the various international control regimes including the Wassenaar Arrangement, Missile Technology Control Regime, Australia Group and Nuclear Suppliers Group. " he added.

"To most traders, the more significant change to take effect today is the relaxation of control thresholds of microprocessors from the current 3,500 million theoretical operations per second (Mtops) to 6,500 Mtops, and that of computers from the present 6,500 Mtops to 28,000 Mtops. Traders may also welcome the removal of retail encryption products satisfying certain conditions from the control list. All these changes would serve to exempt most of the commonly available computers, microprocessors and software with encryption features exempt from import and export licensing control." said the spokesman.

Under Hong Kong's legislative framework, import and export of strategic commodities are subject to licensing controls by the Director-General of Trade and Industry. "The purpose of licensing control is to monitor and control the flow of strategic commodities and hence to maintain the confidence of the supplying countries of these products on our control system, thereby ensuring Hong Kong's continued access to the high-technology products we need to sustain our growth and economic development," the spokesman said.

Copies of the Amendment Order are available for sale at the Government Publications Centre, Queensway Government Offices, Low Block, ground floor, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong. Traders may also visit the website of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, www.info.gov.hk to find the Order at Legal Supplement No. 2 of the Gazette Published on 8/6/2001 (No. 23 Vol. 5).

Enquiries on the amendments can be made to the Strategic Trade Controls Branch, Trade and Industry Department, 5th floor, Trade and Industry Department Tower, 700 Nathan Road, Mong Kok, Kowloon, by telephone at 2398 5580 / 2398 5572 or by email at stc@tid.gov.hk.

The Department will also inform traders of the details of the amended Schedules by circular and seminars.