Our Ref : TL11/128

31 March 2001

Dear Sirs,

            We are delighted to announce the launching by the Trade and Industry Department of a dedicated website on the Strategic Commodities Control System of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The website address is http://www.stc.tid.gov.hk.

2.          Through this website, the Department aims to provide both domestic and overseas traders and other interested parties with a comprehensive overview of Hong Kong's strategic commodities control system. We have uploaded relevant information on Hong Kong's system of controls, including the policy and legal framework, the control lists and basis of their formulation, the licensing arrangements and requirements etc on the website and would keep it up-to-date. Through this website, the Department also seeks to strengthen communication with the traders, and provide them with useful tips and guidance on such matters to do with control status determination, pre-classification and licensing. Traders wishing to contact responsible officers in the Department direct on licensing matters, whether by phone, e-mail or by fax, need only to log in and follow the simple instructions. Frequent licence applicants may apply for an E-account with the Department to handle their licensing issues, including checking the status of their various applications. The guidance notes setting out the essential features and functions of the new website is attached at annex (pdf format) for reference.

3.          This dedicated website is another major initiative of the Department to reach out to the trade, by way of an environmental-friendly mode, with the overall objective of enhancing industry awareness and understanding of Hong Kong's system of controls over strategic commodities, and ultimately, of facilitating compliance. These efforts are crucial in our maintaining continually a stringent, a credible, as well as a trade-facilitating regime.

4.          We invite you to visit our website. Any comments or suggestions that you may have regarding this new initiative will be most welcome.

 

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Michelle Poon)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry

Distribution
Importers and Exporters of Strategic Commodities
Shipping and Airlines Companies