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Paris Notification No. 178
Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property

Application of the Paris Convention, with effect from July 1, 1997, to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

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 June 6, 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.

June 10, 1997

[Translation]
MPC-97101

Geneva, June 6, 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 will resume the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong with effect from 1 July 1997. Hong Kong will, with effect from that date, become a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and will enjoy 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 Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property of March 20, 1883, as revised in 1967 (hereinafter referred to as the "Convention"), to which the Government of the People's Republic of China deposited its instrument of accession on December 19, 1984, will apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with effect from 1 July 1997. The Government of the People's Republic of China also makes the following declaration: the statement made on Article 28(1) of the Convention by the Government of the People's Republic of China will also apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. [*]

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

[*] Note of the International Bureau:
The said statement is to the effect that China does not consider itself bound by the provisions of paragraph (1) of Article 28 of the Paris Convention.