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.
Due to Hong Kong's special relationship with China, the consul general in Hong Kong has a different reporting line than those in mainland China, submitting directly to the China Department within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, rather than through the British ambassador to Beijing.