AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINAAND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF TONGA CONCERNING THE CHANGE OF THECONSULAR POST HEADED BY AN HONORARY CONSUL OF THE KINGDOM OF TONGA IN HONGKONG TO THE "TONGA TRADE OFFICE"
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINAAND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF TONGA CONCERNING THE CHANGE OF THECONSULAR POST HEADED BY AN HONORARY CONSUL OF THE KINGDOM OF TONGA IN HONGKONG TO THE "TONGA TRADE OFFICE"
Whole document
The Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of
the Kingdom of Tonga have reached the following agreement concerning the
change of the consular post headed by an honorary consul of the Kingdom of
Tonga in Hong Kong to the "Tonga Trade Office":
1. The Government of the People's Republic of China agrees to the
change, with effect from 1 July 1997, of the consular post headed by an
honorary consul of the Kingdom of Tonga in Hong Kong to the "Tonga Trade
Office" (hereinafter referred to as "the Office"), which shall be seated
in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of
China.
2. The main responsibility of the Office will be to promote the
development, cooperation and exchanges between the two countries in the
fields of trade, culture and tourism.
3. The Office shall perform the following consular functions on behalf
of Consulate General of the Kingdom of Tonga in San Francisco:
(1) Issuing visas to nationals of the country in which the Office is
located and of a third country;
(2) Handling the replacement, reissue, renewal and endorsement of
official or ordinary passports of its own country;
(3) Handling matters concerning notarization and legalization.
While the Office handles the above-mentioned matters, the place of
issuance shall always be San Francisco.
4. The chancellery of the Office, the residence of its head and its
means of transport used for official business shall not fly the national
flag or display the national emblem, nor shall its official letters bear
such signs. The vehicles of the Office and its staff for official or
private uses shall use ordinary car plates. The staff of the Office shall
not use consular titles, nor shall it be included in the list of official
foreign institutions in Hong Kong.
5. The Office and its staff shall observe the laws and regulations of
the People's Republic of China (including the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region), and shall not engage in activities incompatible
with the purpose of establishing the Office and its responsibility and
functions.
6. The Government of the People's Republic of China shall, in
accordance with its relevant laws and regulations, accord necessary
assistance and facilities to the Office in the performance of its official
duties, and shall take such steps as may be necessary to protect the
Office against any intrusion or damage.
7. The Office may levy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
fees and charges as provided by the laws and regulations of the sending
Country relating to the performance of its official duties, and the sums
collected in the form of the above-mentioned fees and charges shall be
exempt from all taxes.
8. The present Agreement shall enter into force on 1 July 1997.
Done in duplicate at Hong Kong on 5 June 1997 in the Chinese and
English languages, both texts being equally authentic.
For the Government of the For the Government of
People's Republic of China the Kingdom of Tonga
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