Hong Kong continued its effective security and law enforcement partnership with the United States, including through the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department's successful joint operation of the Container Security Initiative, and through participation in U.S.-sponsored capacity building training in counterterrorism-related topics, and through engagement with the U.S. military. In ratifying UN Conventions on terrorism, the People's Republic of China has specified that the treaties would also apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which has subsequently implemented the Conventions through local ordinance. In July, Hong Kong further strengthened its UN Anti-Terrorism Measures Ordinance by replacing the term "funds" throughout, with the more comprehensive term "property," to cover terrorist assets of every kind. Counterterrorism, through policies on prevention, protection, and preparedness, remained an operational priority for the Hong Kong Police Force. The Police Security Wing coordinated potential terrorist threat information with relevant counterterrorism units. The Police Counterterrorist Response Unit provided a strong deterrent presence, assisting police districts with counterterrorist strategy implementation, and complementing the tactical and professional support of existing police specialist units, such as the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau, Special Duties Unit, and the VIP Protection Unit.

Hong Kong is a member of the FATF, the APG, and the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units. Terrorist financing is a criminal offense in Hong Kong, and financial institutions are required to continuously search for terrorist financing networks and screen accounts using designations lists made by the United States under relevant authorities, as well as the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee's consolidated lists. Filing suspicious transactions reports irrespective of transaction amounts is obligatory for financial institutions, but Hong Kong lacks mandatory reporting requirements for cross-border currency movements. In April, Hong Kong's Anti-Money Laundering and Counterterrorist Financing Ordinance went into effect mandating customer due diligence and record-keeping in the financial sector as well as imposing statutory supervision over money changers and remittance agents. For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, we refer you to the 2013 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes: http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/index.htm.

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