Chapter 7 International Labour Affairs

International Instruments Setting out Labour Standards

7.1International Labour Conventions set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) prescribe relevant labour standards for its Members. As at the end of 2020, 31 International Labour Conventions were applied to Hong Kong, with or without modification (Figure 7.1), notwithstanding that Hong Kong is neither a sovereign entity nor an ILO Member. Other international instruments, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, also touch on labour standards, albeit to a much smaller extent.

7.2Comprehensive legislative and administrative measures are in place in Hong Kong to enable the Government to implement internationally accepted labour standards. Through continuous improvements to labour legislation and administrative measures, Hong Kong maintains labour standards that are comparable with those of neighbouring places with similar economic development as well as social and cultural background.

Participation in the Activities of the ILO

7.3Hong Kong participates in the activities of the ILO, either as part of the delegation of the People’s Republic of China or, for activities which are not limited to states, on its own using the name “Hong Kong, China”.

7.4Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 109th Session of the International Labour Conference, originally scheduled to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 25 May to 5 June 2020, was deferred to 2021. In the year, the Labour Department (LD) continued to keep abreast of the latest development of international labour matters through the information promulgated by the ILO.

Contacts with Other Labour Administrations

7.5In the year, the LD mainly exchanged views on labour issues with its counterparts such as the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the State Council through electronic means owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.