Hong Kong has joined other WTO members to tender eight requests for further liberalisation in services areas.

The new round of services negotiations was launched in 2000. 

Since the conclusion of the Sixth Ministerial Conference, Hong Kong has worked diligently and closely with groups of other members who share similar interests to hammer out collective requests on those services areas in which Hong Kong possesses export interests and capacity.

Eight sets of collective requests covering all Hong Kong's priority areas have been issued to the target markets in the past few days, the Trade & Industry Department said.

The department expects the negotiations will help open up more target markets, enabling a more effective use of members' resources, particularly of small delegations like Hong Kong, it added.

Details of the requests are available at the department's website.

To prepare for the services negotiations and ensure the community's interests are represented, the Government will conduct another round of public consultation.

Any views and suggestions on the ongoing services negotiations may be sent to the department's Multilateral Division, or by fax (2390 7479) or email (mdiv1@tid.gov.hk).