The Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presents his compliments to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and has the honor to enclose the English translation of a letter dated July 7, 1997, from His Excellency Mr. Wu Jianmin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Other International Organizations in Switzerland.
July 10, 1997
[Translation]
MPC-97129
Geneva, July 7, 1997
Sir,
In accordance with the Joint Declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the Question of Hong Kong signed on 19 December 1984, the People's Republic of China has resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong with effect from 1 July 1997. Hong Kong has become, with effect from that date, a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and enjoys a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs which are the responsibilities of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China.
In this connection, I am instructed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China to make the following notification:
The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works of September 9, 1886, as amended in 1979 (hereinafter referred to as the "Convention"), to which the Government of the People's Republic of China deposited its instrument of accession on July 10, 1992 will apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with effect from 1 July 1997.
The Government of the People's Republic of China will assume responsibility for the international rights and obligations arising from the application of the Convention to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
It would be appreciated if the contents of this Note could be placed formally on record and brought to the attention of the other Parties to the Convention.
Please accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.
(signed:)
Wu Jianmin
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Other International Organizations in Switzerland