Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 64621 / 251,287

Articles

Brazil Sri Lanka United Kingdom Sweden 00. Editorial United States Latin America Egypt Jordan Yemen Thailand

Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03 2011/04 2011/05 2011/06 2011/07 2011/08

Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09HONGKONG289, HONG KONG DRAFTING ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09HONGKONG289.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09HONGKONG289 2009-02-17 07:08 2011-08-23 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Hong Kong 
VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHHK #0289 0480708
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY AD2F632DC MSI5161-695)
R 170708Z FEB 09 ZDK
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6898
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2921
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
 
UNCLAS HONG KONG 000289 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION 
FOR STATE EAP/CM 
TREASURY FOR DAS GLASER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN HK
SUBJECT: HONG KONG DRAFTING ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING 
LEGISLATION 
 
REF: HONG KONG 0062 
 
1. (SBU) Hong Kong Financial Services and Treasury Bureau 
officials are drafting anti-money laundering (AML) 
legislation, which they expect to submit to the Legislative 
Council for approval in early 2010.  They hope to consult 
with U.S. agencies and experts as they draft the legislation. 
 
 
2. (SBU) Currently, Hong Kong's three financial regulatory 
agencies (the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Securities 
and Futures Commission and the Office of the Commissioner of 
Insurance) issue AML guidelines that cover the banking, 
securities and insurance sectors.  Hong Kong does not, 
however, have legislation/laws providing a statutory backing 
for these agencies' anti-money guidelines.  Additionally, 
during its 2007 Mutual Evaluation of Hong Kong, the Financial 
Action Task Force (FATF) noted that Hong Kong lacked 
sufficient oversight of informal financial entities (e.g., 
money changers and remittance agents), lacked oversight of 
non-financial businesses (e.g., lawyers and accountants), and 
lacked statutory backing for customer due diligence 
procedures.  The new legislation will remedy the weaknesses 
noted in the FAFT Mutual Evaluation and will provide a legal 
basis for Hong Kong's AML regime, the Hong Kong officials 
told us in early February. 
 
3. (SBU) Hong Kong's Financial Services and Treasury Bureau 
officials requested to consult with pertinent USG agencies as 
they draft their AML legislation.  Post has passed this 
request to the U.S. Embassy Beijing Financial Attache office 
and stands ready to help arrange such consultations. 
DONOVAN