DSJ promotes in Guangxi closer HK-Guangxi co-operation in legal services to support Mainland enterprises to go global (with photos)
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Upon his arrival yesterday (September 17), Dr Cheung met with the Director-General of the Department of Justice of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr Li Daojun. They had in-depth discussions on strengthening co-operation between the legal sectors of the two places, especially in the areas of commercial mediation, arbitration, and training of foreign-related legal talent.
Dr Cheung said that with the country advancing high-level opening up, now is the time for Mainland enterprises to expand globally. Guangxi, as the country's bridgehead facing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and an important gateway connecting the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the Silk Road Economic Belt under the Belt and Road Initiative, has achieved leapfrog growth in foreign trade in recent years. Meanwhile, Hong Kong, enjoying the advantage of connecting the Mainland and the world under the "one country, two systems" principle, is the only common law jurisdiction in China and also a major international legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia-Pacific region. With world-class professional services in fields such as law, accounting, finance and tax, Hong Kong can serve as a two-way platform for enterprises to go global and attract external investment.
Dr Cheung said, in "The Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address" announced by the Chief Executive yesterday, he is tasked with promoting Hong Kong's legal services and will collaborate with other professional service sectors, such as accounting and finance, to support Mainland enterprises wishing to expand overseas. This trip is of great significance in promoting the complementary advantages between Hong Kong and Guangxi, creating room for development for legal services in both places, and providing robust support for Mainland enterprises to expand overseas.
Dr Cheung thanked the Department of Justice of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Guangxi Committee for their invitation to the Forum. He said the forum would help strengthen legal protection for regional economic and trade co-operation and deepen the understanding of Guangxi and ASEAN countries in leveraging Hong Kong's unique advantages to go global.
The Forum, organised by the CCPIT, the People's Government of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and the chambers of commerce of the 10 ASEAN member countries, attracted over 300 attendees, including legal and business professionals, representatives from lawtech companies and academics from Mainland and ASEAN countries. The Secretary-General of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, Professor Ignacio Tirado, and the President of High People's Court of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr Huang Hailong, also spoke at the Forum.
Addressing the Forum, Dr Cheung said that Hong Kong has been a very active participant and supporter since the introduction of the Belt and Road Initiative. To contribute to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, the rule of law must continue to be strengthened. For fostering a world-class business environment that is international, market-oriented, and based on the rule of law, Hong Kong can provide a range of high-quality professional services, including financial and international legal services.
Elaborating on the characteristics of Hong Kong's legal system that earns international trust, Dr Cheung said that Hong Kong, with its wealth of international legal talents, advanced lawtech, a unique bilingual common law system that is stable, convenient, secure, trustworthy, and interfaces with Mainland's legal system, has a legal framework unique in the world. It can effectively implement various projects under the Belt and Road Initiative.
He also mentioned that Hong Kong is actively promoting the use of innovative technologies, such as blockchain technology and artificial intelligence, to build capacity for meeting the rapidly growing demand for cross-border dispute resolution services, and to develop into a lawtech centre and hub.
During the keynote session, the Director of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Office of the Department of Justice, Dr Yang Ling, spoke on the development of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and the progress of its capacity building projects. Dr Yang reviewed the Academy's training programmes since its establishment in November last year, including collaboration with international organisations and ministries of the country. She welcomed the legal sectors of ASEAN countries to collaborate with the Academy in training legal talent in cross-border dispute resolution and emerging legal fields. She also said that the Academy will continue to leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle and being the world's only bilingual common law jurisdiction to provide a platform for capacity building, knowledge and experience sharing for legal professionals in regions along the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to consolidate Hong Kong's position as an international legal and dispute resolution centre in the Asia-Pacific region and contribute to the country's efforts to promote the construction of the foreign-related rule of law.
Dr Cheung then met with the Chairperson of the CCPIT Guangxi Committee, Ms Yang Yanyan, and representatives from the Guangxi Lawyers Association, business community, and overseas legal professionals, including those from ASEAN countries, to exchange views on topics such as the challenges faced by Mainland enterprises in going global and cross-border professional services in supporting Mainland enterprises.
In addition, accompanied by Deputy Director-General of the Department of Justice of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Mr Liang Hemin, Dr Cheung visited the China-ASEAN Commercial Arbitration Cooperation Center to learn about China and ASEAN countries' co-operation in the field of arbitration. The Center is a platform for international commercial arbitration exchange and co-operation established by the People's Government of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the Ministry of Justice. Moreover, he toured the Guangxi International Civil and Commercial Mediation Center as well as China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone Public Legal Service Center for better understanding of their operations.
Tomorrow (September 19), Dr Cheung will attend and speak at the International Legal Practice Conference 2025 - ASEAN Orientation and return to Hong Kong afterwards.
Ends/Thursday, September 18, 2025
Issued at HKT 19:00
Issued at HKT 19:00
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