Press Release 2008

Amendments to Strategic Commodities Control List gazetted
Friday, December 5, 2008

The Government will table the Import and Export (Strategic Commodities) Regulations (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order 2008 at the Legislative Council next Wednesday (December 10).

"The purpose of the order is to reflect the latest revisions adopted in the strategic commodities control lists of relevant international non-proliferation regimes, such as the Wassenaar Arrangement, the Australia Group, the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime", a spokesman for the Trade and Industry Department (TID) said.  

"The major changes involve the relaxation of control over particular electronic components and devices with cryptographic function, including analogue-to-digital converter integrated circuits with resolution of 12 bits or more (usable in commercial applications such as cellular systems, broadband systems and digital radio systems) and certain portable or mobile radiotelephones and similar client wireless devices with cryptographic function (including Portable Digital Assistant (PDA) device and pocket Personal Computer (PC) for professional uses such as health care)," the spokesman said.

"Traders should welcome the enactment of the order as they would no longer have to apply for import and export licences for trading relevant commodities," the spokesman said.

Under Hong Kong's legislative framework, the import and export of strategic commodities are subject to licensing control by the Director-General of Trade and Industry.

The purpose of imposing licensing control is to monitor and control the flow of strategic commodities in order to maintain the confidence of technology supplying countries in our control system, thereby ensuring Hong Kong's continued access to high-technology.

"Hong Kong has been closely following the control thresholds adopted by the international non-proliferation regimes. Whenever these regimes introduce changes to their control lists, Hong Kong will follow suit where appropriate to ensure that we will always be upholding controls to the highest international standards, while relieving traders from licensing requirements when the international standards are relaxed," the spokesman said. 

The Amendment Order was gazetted today (December 5) and will be tabled at the Legislative Council on December 10. Once the legal procedure is completed, the order will come into force on a day to be appointed by the Director-General of Trade and Industry by notice in the Gazette. Traders may visit the website of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (www.gov.hk) to access the Gazette. 

Enquiries can be made to the Strategic Trade Controls Branch of TID by telephone at 2398 5587 or by email at stc@tid.gov.hk. 

The TID will also inform traders of the details of the amended schedule through circulars and general advisory service. 

　

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