The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, in his capacity as the chair of the sub-group on Belt and Road development under the Steering Group on Integration into National Development, will lead Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government officials, including the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau; the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn; the Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Ms Maggie Wong; the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan; and the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, to attend the eighth Joint Conference on Advancing Hong Kong's Full Participation in and Contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative to be held on Thursday morning (July 24), with departures for Beijing tomorrow (July 22) and on July 23 respectively.
 
     During his stay in Beijing, Mr Lam and the Law Officer (International Law) of the Department of Justice, Dr James Ding, will visit the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to report on the progress of the Department of Justice's major policy initiatives, including the relevant works on the International Organization for Mediation and promoting Hong Kong's position as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre. He will also visit the Ministry of Commerce to exchange views on matters of mutual interest.

     Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong on the afternoon of July 24. During Mr Lam's absence, the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, will be the Acting Secretary for Justice. During Mr Yau's absence, the Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, will be the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development. During Ms Linn's absence, the Under Secretary for Development, Mr David Lam, will be the Acting Secretary for Development.

Ends/Monday, July 21, 2025
Issued at HKT 17:00

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