Under the Basic Law,the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is exclusively in charge of its internal affairs,whilst the central government of China is responsible for its foreign affairs and defence. As a separate customs territory,Hong Kong maintains and develops relations with foreign states and regions,and plays an active role in such international organisations as World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in its own right under the name of Hong Kong,China. Hong Kong participates in 16 projects of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Under the Basic Law,Macau's diplomatic relations and defence are the responsibility of the central government of China. Except diplomatic relations and defence,nonetheless,Macau has retained considerable autonomy in all aspects,including economic and commercial relations,customs control.
John Ashton,CBE was the Special Representative for Climate Change at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) from 2006 to June 2012,Director for Strategic Partnerships at LEAD International,and is the founder and CEO of Third Generation Environmentalism (E3G).
The Consulate General of the United States,Hong Kong and Macau,represents the United States in Hong Kong and Macau.
The British Consulate General Hong Kong (BCGHK),located at 1 Supreme Court Road,Admiralty,Hong Kong Island,is one of the largest British consulates general in the world and is bigger than many British embassies and high commissions. It is responsible for maintaining British ties with Hong Kong and Macau.
Geng Huichang,is a Chinese intelligence officer and politician who served as the 4th Minister of State Security of the People's Republic of China and prior as president of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR),the 11th bureau of the Ministry of State Security (MSS). He is currently the vice chairman of the Liaison with Hong Kong,Macao,Taiwan and Overseas Chinese Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC),and a member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee (NC-CPPCC).
The Hong Kong and Macau Work Office (HMO),also known as the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the State Council,is an administrative agency of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party responsible for promoting cooperation and coordination of political,economic,and cultural ties between mainland China and the Chinese Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau. It was formed in 2023 on the basis of then State Council's HKMAO. Its head office is in Xicheng District,Beijing.
A de facto embassy is an office or organisation that serves de facto as an embassy in the absence of normal or official diplomatic relations among countries,usually to represent nations which lack full diplomatic recognition,regions or dependencies of countries,or territories over which sovereignty is disputed. In some cases,diplomatic immunity and extraterritoriality may be granted.
Hong Lei is a Chinese diplomat and politician,serving as Head of the Department of Protocol,Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was Chinese Consul General in Chicago from 2016 to 2018 and served as spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2010 to 2016. Hong was the 25th spokesperson since the spokesperson system was established in the ministry in 1983.
Brian John Davidson is a British diplomat who is the British Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau as of July 2021.
The Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs is an internal policy coordination group of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),reporting to the CCP Politburo,in charge of supervising and coordinating Beijing's policy towards the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
The Embassy of the United Kingdom in Beijing is the chief diplomatic mission of the United Kingdom in the People's Republic of China. It is one of Britain's largest overseas embassies. It is located at 11 Guanghua Road,in the Chaoyang District. The current British Ambassador to China is Caroline Wilson.
Stephen Lillie is a British diplomat who was High Commissioner to Cyprus from 2018 to 2022.
The Consulate General of South Korea in Hong Kong is a consular mission of the Republic of Korea (ROK) to Hong Kong and Macau. It is located at 5-6F,Far East Finance Center 16,Harcourt Road,Admiralty,Hong Kong. It is one of the first South Korean overseas missions since the country's foundation,opened in British Hong Kong under approval of the United Kingdom in 1949,going through promotion and expansion in its history. Following the Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong to China in 1997,the Consulate General was able to keep its presence according to a Sino-Korean agreement concerning foreign missions stationed in Hong Kong.
David Coates is a retired British diplomat,scholar,former Ambassador to Ivory Coast and Director General of the British Trade &Cultural Office (BTCO) in Taipei.
Sir Alan Stanley Collins,KCVO,CMG,is a retired British diplomat and former Consul General in New York City (2007–11),High Commissioner to Singapore (2003–07) and Ambassador to the Philippines (1998–2002).
Zhang Qiyue is a retired Chinese diplomat who served as ambassador to Belgium (2005–08),Indonesia (2008–12),and Greece (2018–21). She is a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
