To help Hong Kong businesses take full advantage of new opportunities expected to mushroom upon China's WTO accession, HKGCC and three other local business and industrial organisations have teamed up with one of the Mainland's top trade bodies to form the Joint Business Liaison Committee.

HKGCC, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries signed the agreement with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), and the China Chamber of International Commerce in Beijing on April 5, 2001.

The Joint Business Liaison Committee will provide an efficient communication channel for the general public to seek answers on a wide range of Mainland related business issues.

Its goal is to act as a window to disseminate information to provide a deeper understanding of Mainland China's economic and political landscape.

It will function as an inquiry centre, serving Hong Kong enterprises by providing them with the latest information about policies, trade, customs and investment regulations, as well as timely updates on changes to rules and economic data on the Mainland.

The committee will also solicit views from Hong Kong businesses to keep their Mainland counterparts abreast of local concerns. It will also suggest negotiation channels in cases of trade disputes or disagreements when needed.

CCPIT will take charge of all Mainland affairs of the joint committee while responsibility for Hong Kong affairs will rotate annually among the four local orga-nisations.

HKGCC will be the first secretariat in Hong Kong with Chamber Chairman Christopher Cheng being its chairman, and Director Dr Eden Woon as secretary general. B

For more information, call the committee's hotline at 2117-1221.