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 November 30, 1999, from His Excellency Mr. Hu Xiaodi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for Disarmament Affairs, Deputy Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland.
November 30, 1999
[Translation]
MPC-99085
November 30, 1999
Your Excellency,
In accordance with the Joint Declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Portugal on the Question of Macao signed on 13 April 1987, the People's Republic of China will resume the exercise of sovereignty over Macao with effect from 20 December 1999. Macao 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 inform Your Excellency of the following:
The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property of 20 March 1883, as revised at Stockholm on 14 July 1967 and as amended on 2 October 1979 (hereinafter referred to as the Convention), to which the Government of the People's Republic of China deposited the instrument of accession on 19 December 1984, will apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region with effect from 20 December 1999. The Government of the People's Republic of China also wishes to make 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 Macao 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 Agreement to the Macao Special Administrative Region.
It would be appreciated if the contents of the Note could be placed formally on record and brought to the attention of the other Parties to the Convention.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
(signed:)
Hu Xiaodi
Deputy Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for Disarmament Affairs of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland