Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Civil Service College (CSC) of the Civil Service Bureau held the “Holistic View of National Security” seminar series, on the topic of “Global Economic Change and National Security”, today (April 24). The seminar was delivered by the Director for the Institute of World Economic Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, Mr Zhang Yuncheng.
 
     On the 10th anniversary of the promulgation of the holistic approach to national security, Mr Zhang highlighted in the seminar China’s achievements in safeguarding and strengthening national security over the past decade. He also discussed the current global situation on economic and financial security and how they could be safeguarded by adopting the holistic approach to national security, enlightening civil servants on how Hong Kong could play a more active role in co-ordinating development and security.
 
     Addressing the seminar, the Head of the CSC, Mr Oscar Kwok, stressed that national security training forms a significant part of national studies training. Following the implementation of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, relevant contents of civil service training have been suitably updated. Apart from strengthening civil servants’ basic understanding of national security legal provisions, training offered by the CSC places emphasis on the holistic approach to national security. It aims to deepen civil servants’ in-depth and comprehensive understanding of national security concepts and enable them to act in concert with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in fulfilling its responsibility of safeguarding national security. With Hong Kong’s distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, civil servants must understand the country’s development and challenges in economic and financial security and effectively prevent and mitigate risks.
 
     Over 200 officers, including middle and senior-level civil servants and politically appointed officials, attended the seminar today, and some participants took part in the seminar through video-conferencing.
 
     The series consists of seven seminars, covering topics such as national security in the rise and fall of great nations, and the opportunities and challenges of technological development for safeguarding national security. The series provides a comprehensive and multi-perspective analysis of the development of the holistic approach to national security, its main content, the challenges of safeguarding national security, and its significance to the country’s development. The seminars are delivered by experts from China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations or the Center for a Holistic Approach to National Security.

      

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon David Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (April 24): Question:      Since the … read more

     Following is a question by the Hon Maggie Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, in the Legislative Council today (April 24):

Question:

     To better leverage Hong Kong’s advantage of being “backed by the motherland and connected to the world” and nurture high-quality foreign-related legal talents with an international perspective, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has, with the support of the Central Government, built close co-operative relationships and made standing secondment arrangements with various international legal bodies, including the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific. Nine young solicitors, barristers and Government Counsels have been seconded to the HCCH and the UNIDROIT so far. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) how the Department of Justice (DoJ) selected legal professionals in the public and private sectors who applied for various secondment programmes to international organisations (secondment programmes) in the past three years;

(2) of the number of solicitors at local small and medium-sized law firms selected for various secondment programmes in the past five years;

(3) whether the DoJ has plans to build co-operative relationships with more international legal bodies, so as to provide continuous training opportunities in the practice of foreign-related legal affairs for local legal talents; if so, of the details; and

(4) how the DoJ plans to integrate the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy to be established with various existing secondment programmes, so as to enhance Hong Kong’s function as an international legal services centre?

Reply:

President,

(1) Regarding the secondment programmes to the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) and the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), information about the secondment programmes (including eligibility criteria and application procedures) and promotional materials will be posted on the website of the Department of Justice (DoJ) during the application period. Through the relevant open recruitment procedures, legal professionals from the public and private sectors may apply to participate in the secondment programmes. The present arrangement (including eligibility criteria for the secondees) was the outcome of discussion between the Administration and the international organisations concerned. In the selection process, through the written applications submitted and various rounds of interviews, the applicants are assessed as to whether they possess the required knowledge and skills and their suitability evaluated.

(2) Regarding the secondment programmes to the HCCH and the UNIDROIT, all qualifying legal professionals from the public and private sectors (irrespective of the size of the law firms they work in) are welcome to apply. Since the standing arrangements have been put in place, a total of nine local legal professionals have participated in the said secondment programmes, three of them are solicitors in private practice (i.e. one third of the said total) who have worked in law firms of different sizes.

(3) Apart from establishing close collaborative relationships with the HCCH, the UNIDROIT and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, the DoJ has also developed co-operative linkages with the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre and the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) Preparatory Office. The AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre officially settled in the Hong Kong Legal Hub in May 2022 and, for the first time, organised the third AALCO Annual Arbitration Forum 2023 on December 5 and 6, 2023, in Hong Kong. The DoJ further looks forward to establishing a closer collaborative relationship with IOMed after its establishment and official settlement in Hong Kong.

     The DoJ will continue to actively explore the development of and deepen the collaborative relationship with various international legal organisations, including seconding local legal personnel to these organisations, jointly organising various practical legal courses, seminars and international exchange activities, with a view to providing local legal personnel with continual training opportunities on foreign-related legal matters, and to facilitating local legal personnel to enhance professional exchanges of experience with the counterparts, experts and academics in the Mainland and overseas.

(4) The DoJ will set up a dedicated office and an expert committee within 2024 to facilitate the establishment of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy. Riding on the existing foundation of a capacity building centre, the Academy will organise regular practical legal courses, seminars, international exchange activities, etc, in order to actively nurture legal talents, facilitate talent exchange along the Belt and Road regions, and nurture legal talents conversant in international law, common law, civil law and national legal systems for our country (including the Greater Bay Area) and other Belt and Road countries.

     The DoJ anticipates that the Academy will co-ordinate the existing capacity building programmes and relevant resources and, together with the current secondment programmes with various international legal organisations, strengthen the role of Hong Kong as an international legal services centre and fully utilise Hong Kong’s unique advantages as a common law jurisdiction. The dedicated office to be set up within 2024 will holistically review the relevant factors and formulate a long-term plan, which would include the training of talents conversant in foreign-related legal matters, secondment and training opportunities, as well as the resources requirements of the Academy. read more

     The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, met with the Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Qingdao Municipal Committee, Shandong Province, Mr Meng Qingbin, today (April 24) to exchange views on deepening tourism co-operation.
      
     Mr Yeung said, “Starting from March 6, the Central Government has expanded the Individual Visit Scheme to Qingdao. Contacts between residents in Hong Kong and those in Qingdao will become more frequent. A steady increase in the number of visitors from Qingdao shows that relevant enhancement measures are warmly welcomed by Qingdao residents. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is grateful for the Central Government’s policy to benefit Hong Kong, and will definitely welcome visitors with hospitality. Friends from Qingdao are welcome to visit Hong Kong any time to experience our unique local culture.”
      
     Hong Kong and Shandong Province both are rich in tourism resources, giving the two places an edge in developing tourism activities. Shandong Province has been actively developing its cultural industry to build an internationally renowned cultural tourism destination, with its geographical location offering natural resources for tourism. International cruise companies have resumed various journeys to cover Hong Kong and Qingdao. Hong Kong will continue to utilise its position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange to offer more exchange opportunities to people of both places.

    

Attention TV and radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (April 24) tha… read more