HONG KONG - Michael Stone has been appointed as the Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the World Trade Organization with effect from Sept 25, the city's Civil Service Bureau said here on Thursday.

Stone is currently the Deputy Representative in the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva, and will succeed Martin Glass, who will retire after 28 years of service.

He joined the Administrative Service in September, 1976 and rose to his present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B in January, 1993. He has been Deputy Representative in the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva since September, 2011.

In addition, Deputy Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Linda Lai will succeed Mary Chow as Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, on Oct 16.

Lai joined the Administrative Service in September, 1984 and rose to her present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April, 2009. She has been Deputy Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology since August, 2006.