WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/REG162/1/Add.3 
6 December 2006 
 
 (06-5851) 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements Original:   English 
  
 
CLOSER ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENT 
BETWEEN CHINA AND HONG KONG, CHINA 
 
Addendum
 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 27 November 2006, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegations of China and Hong Kong, China.  
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SUPPLEMENT III TO THE MAINLAND AN D HONG KONG CLOSER ECONOMIC 
PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENT
∗ 
 
  To further enhance the level of economic a nd trade exchanges and cooperation between the 
Mainland
1 and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (hereinafter referred to as 
“Hong Kong”), and pursuant to:  
 - the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Econom ic Partnership Arrangement (hereinafter 
referred to as “CEPA”) signed on 29 J une 2003 and its Annexes signed on 
29 September 2003; 
  - the Supplement to the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership 
Arrangement (hereinafter referred to as “Supplement to the CEPA”) signed on 
27 October 2004; 
  - the Supplement II to the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership 
Arrangement (hereinafter referred to as  “Supplement II to the CEPA”) signed on 
18 October 2005; 
 
the two sides agreed to sign this Supplement III on further liberalization of trade in services in the 
Mainland for Hong Kong and strengt hening cooperation in area of trad e and investment facilitation of 
both sides.  
 
                                                     
 
∗ The Annex to this Supplement III has been submitted to the Secretariat for consultation by interested 
Members (office 1174).  It is also available at http://www.tid.gov.hk/english/cepa/legaltext/cepa4.html  and 
http://www.mofcom.gov.cn . 
1 In “CEPA”, the “Mainland” refers to the entire customs territory of China. WT/REG162/1/Add.3 
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  I. TRADE IN SERVICES 
1. From 1 January 2007, the Mainland shall furt her relax the market access conditions in the 
areas of legal, construction, information tec hnology, convention and exhibition, audiovisual, 
distribution, tourism, transport and individually owned stores on the basis of the commitments on liberalization of trade in services under “CEPA”, “Supplement to the CEPA” and “Supplement II to 
the CEPA”.  The specific contents are detailed in the Annex of this Supplement III. 
2. The Annex of this Supplement III is a supplem ent and amendment to Table 1 of Annex 4 of 
“CEPA” – “The Mainland’s Specific Commitments on Liberalization of Trade in Services for Hong Kong”, Annex 3 of “Supplement to the CEPA ”- “Supplements and Amendments to the 
Mainland’s Specific Commitments on Liberalizati on of Trade in Services for Hong Kong” and 
Annex 2 of “Supplement II to the CEPA”- “Suppl ements and Amendments II to the Mainland’s 
Specific Commitments on Liberalization of Trade in Services for Hong Kong”.  In the event of 
conflict with the provisions of the other three in struments, the provisions of the Annex of this 
Supplement III shall prevail.  
3. “Service suppliers” as referred to in the Annex of  this Supplement III shall meet the relevant 
requirements of Annex 5 of “CEPA” – “Definition of  “Service Supplier” and Related Requirements”. 
II. TRADE AND INVESTMENT FACILITATION 
 To promote cooperation in the area of pr otection of intellectual property between the 
two places, the two sides agree to add protection of  intellectual property into the area of trade and 
investment facilitation under “CEPA”.  Accordingly:  
 (1) Paragraph 1 of Article 17 of  “CEPA” is amended as follows : 
  “1. The two sides will promote cooperation in the following areas:    1. trade and investment promotion; 
  2. customs clearance facilitation; 
  3. commodity inspection and quar antine, food safety and quality and 
 standardization; 
  4. electronic business;   5. transparency in laws and regulations;   6. cooperation of sma ll and medium enterprises; 
  7. cooperation in Chinese traditional medicine and medical products sector; 
  8. protection of intellectual property.”   (2)  Article 2 of Annex 6 of  “CEPA” is amended as follows: 
 
 “2. The two sides agree to cooperate in trad e and investment facilitation in eight areas, 
namely, trade and investment promotion;  customs clearance facilitation;  commodity inspection and quarantine, food safety, quality and standardization;   electronic business;  transparency in laws and 
regulations;  cooperation of sm all and medium enterprises;  cooperation in Chinese traditional 
medicine and medical products sector;  and protecti on of intellectual property.  Cooperation in these 
areas will follow the guidance and c oordination of the Joint Steeri ng Committee set up in accordance 
with Article 19 of the ‘CEPA’.” 
  (3) An article is added to Annex 6 of “C EPA” as Article 10 and the subsequent articles 
are renumbered accordingly.  Article 10 reads as follows:    WT/REG162/1/Add.3 
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   “10. Protection of Intellectual Property 
  The two sides recognize that strengthening intellectual property protection plays an important role in advancing economic development and promoting economic and trade exchanges and 
cooperation between the two places.  The two sides ag ree to strengthen cooperation in the area of 
intellectual property protection. 
  10.1. Cooperation Mechanism   The two sides will enhance cooperation in the area of intellectual property protection through 
the cooperation mechanism between relevant government departments of the two places. 
  10.2. Content of Cooperation   The two sides agree to strengthen cooperation in the following areas: 
  
 10.2.1. Exchange and communicate information relating to intellectual property protection of 
the two places through the Intellectual Property Prot ection Coordination Centre to be set up in 
Hong Kong.   10.2.2. Exchange information relating to th e formulation and implementation of laws and 
regulations in respect of intellectual property protection. 
  10.2.3. Share materials and information rela ting to intellectual property protection through 
visits, seminars, relevant publications and other means.  
 10.2.4. Discuss issues arising from intellectual property protection.” 
 
III. ANNEX 
 The Annex to this Supplement III forms an  integral part of this Supplement III. 
 
IV. COMING INTO EFFECT 
 This Supplement III shall come into effect on the day of signature by the representatives of 
the two sides.   Signed in duplicate in Hong Kong, this 27t h day of June, 2006 in the Chinese language. 
 
 
 Vice Minister of Commerce Financial Secretary   People’s Republic of China Hong Kong Special  
Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China 
 
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