owing to the special status of hong kong and macau, the consulate general of canada reports directly to global affairs canada in ottawa rather than through the canadian embassy in beijing, although it does work closely with its counterparts at the embassy. under an agreement signed on september 19, 1996, ottawa and beijing agreed that the former commission, now consulate general, would continue to operate as regulated by normal diplomatic procedures (such as the 1963 vienna convention on consular relations).