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 1, 1999, from His Excellency Mr. Qiao Zonghuai, 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.
November 4, 1999
[Translation]
MPC-99074
To: Dr. Kamil Idris, Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva
November 1, 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 Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, done at Berne on 9 September 1886 as revised at Paris on 24 July 1971 and as amended on 28 September 1979 (hereinafter referred to as the Convention), to which the Government of the People's Republic of China deposited the instrument of accession on 10 July 1992, will apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region with effect from 20 December 1999.
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 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:)
Qiao Zonghuai
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