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The Secretary for Justice, Mr Rimsky Yuen, SC, attended the 54th Annual Session of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) held in Beijing today (April 13) and met with representatives of the Asian and African member countries.
Mr Yuen attended the event as a member of the Chinese delegation, and joined the inaugural session held at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse this morning where Premier Li Keqiang delivered an opening address.
In the afternoon Mr Yuen also attended a special session commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Bandung Conference. During the session, delegates from more than 40 Asian and African countries reaffirmed the five key principles of peaceful coexistence which were enunciated 60 years ago, namely mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.
The AALCO primarily serves as an advisory body to its member states in the area of international law and as a forum for Asian-African co-operation in legal matters of common concern. It currently has 47 member states and two permanent observer states.
Hosted by the Central People's Government, the 54th Annual Session of the AALCO will discuss various legal issues including international trade law, investor-state dispute resolution, law of the sea, cyber space and international law, as well as environment and sustainable development.
Mr Yuen arrived in Beijing yesterday (April 12). He met with the Procurator-General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, Mr Cao Jianming, and the Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Xu Hong, to discuss issues of mutual concern.
Mr Yuen will return to Hong Kong tomorrow (April 14) afternoon.
Ends/Monday, April 13, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:59
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