Consulate General of the United Kingdom, Hong Kong explained

British Consulate General
Hong Kong
Address:1 Supreme Court Road,
Admiralty, Hong Kong Island
Location:Hong Kong
Coordinates:22.2762°N 114.1649°W
Consul General:Brian Davidson,
consul general to Hong Kong and Macau
Website:British Consulate General Hong Kong

The British Consulate General Hong Kong (BCGHK),[1] 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.[2] It is responsible for maintaining British ties with Hong Kong and Macau.

Together with the Consulate General of the United States of America, Hong Kong and Macau; the Consulate General of Malaysia; and the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, the British consulate general is among the few consulates general in Hong Kong to be housed in its own building.

Role

Due to Hong Kong's status as a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China, the consul general in Hong Kong reports directly to the China Department of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, instead of to the British ambassador to Beijing, unlike consuls general in mainland China.[3] The consulate general in Hong Kong also serves Macau, with several diplomats accredited specifically to Macau.[4]

The consulate general was also the Regional Passport Processing Centre, handling passport applications from British citizens resident elsewhere in Asia.[5]

Previously, it also processed applications received by the British Trade and Cultural Office (now called the British Office) in Taipei, Taiwan.[6] It also received registrations of marriages from British nationals in Taiwan, although there was no legal requirement for British nationals to do so.[7]

This role ceased in 2014, and all passport-related matters have since been handled by His Majesty's Passport Office in the UK. Furthermore, visa application matters are outsourced to a separate company since 2015.

History

When Hong Kong was under British rule, the governor represented the British government, as well as the British monarch as head of state. Matters relating to British nationality were handled by the Hong Kong Immigration Department.[8]

During the negotiations between Britain and China on the future of Hong Kong, the British proposed the establishment of a "British commissioner" following transfer of sovereignty to China.[9] Some of the diplomatic representatives of Commonwealth countries in Hong Kong were already known as "commissioners".[10] This was rejected by the Chinese as an attempt to make the future Hong Kong Special Administrative Region into a member or associated member of the Commonwealth. However, the United Kingdom's commercial interests were represented by the British Trade Commission.[11] The last senior trade commissioner (1993-1997), Francis Cornish, became the first British consul general following the transfer of sovereignty to China, on 1 July 1997.[12]

The consulate general was designed by British architects Terry Farrell and Partners.[13] Opened by Princess Anne on 30 January 1997, it was a HK$290 million project, with the British Council in an adjoining building opened in December that year.[14]

The consul general has resided at a rented flat at Opus Hong Kong since 2013.[15]

List of HM consuls general

List of HM consuls general in Hong Kong:

NameTenure beganTenure endedTenure lengthDate of birth (and age)
when published
Prior RoleSubsequent Role
1Francis Cornish
(zh)
July 1997November 19971942 5, df=ySenior Trade Commissioner to Hong KongHead of FCDO News Department
2Sir Andrew Burns
(zh)
November 1997June 20001943 7, df=yDeputy Under Secretary of StateBritish High Commissioner to Canada
3Sir James Hodge
(zh)
June 2000November 20031943 12, df=yBritish Ambassador to ThailandRetired from Diplomatic Service
4Stephen Bradley
(zh)
November 2003March 20081958 4, df=yMinister, Deputy Head of Mission & Consul General to Beijing, ChinaRetired from Diplomatic Service
5Andrew Seaton
(zh)
March 2008September 2012 1954 4, df=yConsul General to Chicago, USARetired from Diplomatic Service
6Caroline Wilson[16]
(zh)
September 2012 September 2016 12 August 1970Minister Counsellor to Moscow, RussiaEurope Director at the FCDOBritish Ambassador to China
7Andrew Heyn
(zh)
September 2016December 202014 January 1962Director, Leadership, Governance & Diversity Strategy at the Cabinet OfficeRetired from Diplomatic Service
Tamsin Heath (acting)December 2020July 2021Deputy Consul General to Hong KongDeputy Consul General to Hong Kong
8Brian Davidson
(zh)
July 2021Incumbent 28 April 1964British Ambassador to Thailand

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FCO Ref: 0661-08 Your Freedom Of Information Request . . 2008-09-03 . https://archive.today/20190615085238/https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:O0PonJq9sI8J:https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1594/response/5273/attach/3/0661%252008%2520Dr%2520Kaihsu%2520Tai%25203%2520response.pdf%3Fcookie_passthrough%3D1+&cd=3&hl=en . 2019-06-15 . 2010-05-22 . 2 .
  2. Web site: British Consulate General Hong Kong - GOV.UK. appointment only Please visit www gov uk/world/hong-kong or call +2901 3000. Access. Opening. Times. www.gov.uk.
  3. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmfaff/649/64907.htm The UK's relations with Hong Kong: 30 years after the Joint Declaration
  4. Web site: British Embassy Macao. Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 12 February 2016.
  5. Web site: Passport application changes for Brits living abroad. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110410172600/www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_192370. dead. 10 April 2011. Central. team. 9 November 2010. webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. 22 August 2020.
  6. Web site: Our office in Taipei. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20091110183537/http://ukintaiwan.fco.gov.uk/en/our-offices-in-taiwan/our-office-in-taipei/. dead. 10 November 2009. webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. 11 August 2008.
  7. Web site: Marriage in Taiwan. https://web.archive.org/web/20090202095352/http://ukintaiwan.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-taiwan/how-register-marriage. dead. 2 February 2009. 2 February 2009.
  8. https://books.google.com/books?id=veEZBAAAQBAJ&q=%22immigration+department%22+british&pg=PA167 Hong Kong's New Constitutional Order: The Resumption of Chinese Sovereignty and the Basic Law
  9. http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/ziliao_665539/3602_665543/3604_665547/t18032.shtml The Chinese government resumed exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong
  10. https://books.google.com/books?id=Cse2AAAAIAAJ&q=st.+lucia Hong Kong $ Directory
  11. https://books.google.com/books?id=QhVWl7-NcY8C&dq=british+%22senior+trade+commissioner%22+to+Hong+Kong&pg=PA417 Hunting with the Tigers: Doing Business with Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam
  12. http://www.info.gov.hk/isd/news/oct97/1022pm.htm Chief Executive holds 'useful, cordial' talks with British Prime Minister
  13. Web site: Explore Architecture. www.architecture.com.
  14. http://www.scmp.com/article/183652 Francis Cornish
  15. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/hongkong/10108703/Britains-Hong-Kong-Consul-General-in-35-million-flat.html Britain's Hong Kong Consul General in £35 million flat
  16. Web site: Caroline Wilson CMG - GOV.UK. www.gov.uk.