Southeast Asia > Hong Kong > Government

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Administrative divisions none (special administrative region of China)
Constitution Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
Corruption	8.3		[15th of 160]
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
Executive branch > Cabinet Executive Council consists of 15 official members and 16 non-official members
Executive branch > Chief of state President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
Flag description red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
Government type	limited democracy
Independence none (special administrative region of China)
Judicial branch Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Legal system based on English common law
Legislative branch unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
National holiday National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Political parties and leaders Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Civic Party [KUAN Hsin-chi]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [TAM Yiu Cheng]; Democratic Party [Albert HO]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing]; League of Social Democrats [Raymond WONG]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun]; note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Democratic Party, Frontier Party, League of Social Democrats; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party, The Alliance (a group of five generally pro-government and pro-business Legco members from functional constituencies); there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies
Political pressure groups and leaders Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHARNWUT, executive committee member]
Suffrage direct election - 18 years of age for a number of non-executive positions; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election - limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, central government bodies, and municipal organizations
Time required to start a business > days	11 days		[157th of 171]
Total businesses registered > number	672,275		[22nd of 71]
Trademarks, residents	7,374		[20th of 98]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International	none

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