[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 20 (Monday, February 24, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S1470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. THOMAS (for himself and Mr. Robb):
  S. 342. A bill to extend certain privileges, exemptions, and 
immunities to Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices; to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations.


            HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICES LEGISLATION

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I rise as chairman of the Subcommittee on 
East Asian and Pacific Affairs to introduce S. 342, a bill to extend 
certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities to Hong Kong Economic 
and Trade Offices located in the United States. I am pleased to be 
joined by Senator Robb as an original cosponsor.
  The Hong Kong Government maintains Economic and Trade Offices in 
several countries to represent the Colony's economic and trade 
interests abroad; there are three such Offices in the United States--
San Francisco, New York, and Washington. As my colleagues are aware, at 
midnight on June 30, 1997, Hong Kong will revert to the jurisdiction of 
the People's Republic of China as the Hong Kong Special Administrative 
Region [HKSAR]. The HKSAR will purportedly, under agreements reached 
between the PRC and the United Kingdom, enjoy a high degree of autonomy 
from the central government in Beijing except in the areas of foreign 
policy and defense. That autonomy includes the right to maintain 
economic and trade ties with third countries independent of Beijing.
  The Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 provided, inter alia, that the 
United States should invite Hong Kong to maintain its Economic and 
Trade Offices after June 30. The reasoning was not only to continue to 
facilitate our trade relationship with our ninth biggest trading 
partner; in addition, the move was meant to underscore our commitment 
to an autonomous Hong Kong after 1997.
  This bill would extend to these offices and employees the provisions 
of the International Organizations Immunities Act and the Agreement on 
State and local Taxation of Foreign Employees of Public International 
Organizations, thereby assuring that these offices are treated in the 
same manner as others similarly situated--such as the Taipei Economic 
and Cultural Representative Offices, Taiwan's representative in the 
United States.
  Identical legislation passed the Senate unanimously late last year, 
but was not considered by the House before we adjourned sine die. 
Because the June deadline looms so near, I hope that we can move this 
bill quickly and without amendment through both Houses before the July 
1 reversion of Hong Kong to China's jurisdiction.
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