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Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-102

§5712 Participation in Multilateral Organizations, Rights Under International Agreements, and Trade Status

Title 22 › CHAPTER 66 — UNITED STATES-HONG KONG POLICY › SUBCHAPTER I — POLICY › § 5712

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

After June 30, 1997, the United States should help Hong Kong join and take part in any multilateral conferences, agreements, or organizations it is allowed to join. The United States should also keep honoring its international commitments to Hong Kong so long as Hong Kong does the same, even if the People’s Republic of China is not part of that agreement, unless the law changes or ends those commitments. The United States should treat Hong Kong as a separate customs territory and as a World Trade Organization member country, whether or not the People’s Republic of China is in the WTO.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §5712

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

It is the sense of the Congress that the following, which are based in part on the relevant provisions of the Joint Declaration, should be the policy of the United States with respect to Hong Kong after June 30, 1997:
(1)The United States should support Hong Kong’s participation in all appropriate multilateral conferences, agreements, and organizations in which Hong Kong is eligible to participate.
(2)The United States should continue to fulfill its obligations to Hong Kong under international agreements, so long as Hong Kong reciprocates, regardless of whether the People’s Republic of China is a party to the particular international agreement, unless and until such obligations are modified or terminated in accordance with law.
(3)The United States should respect Hong Kong’s status as a separate customs territory, and as a WTO member country (as defined in section 3501(10) of title 19), whether or not the People’s Republic of China participates in the World Trade Organization (as defined in section 3501(8) of title 19).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1999—Par. (3). Pub. L. 106–36 substituted “WTO member country (as defined in section 3501(10) of title 19)” for “contracting party to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade” and “World Trade Organization (as defined in section 3501(8) of title 19)” for “latter organization”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 5712

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102