SJ commences visit to Middle East (with photos)

     The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, today (May 19, Riyadh time) with his about 30-person delegation, comprising representatives from the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Bar Association and related sectors, and began a two-day visit to the city to promote Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution services and enhance co-operation and exchanges between the two places.

     Upon arrival in Riyadh, Mr Lam and the delegation met with local legal and business sectors during a lunch and networking reception titled "Hong Kong – The Common Law Gateway for Saudi Arabia Businesses to China and Beyond", co-organised by the Department of Justice, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Saudi Chinese Business Council, and supported by Invest Hong Kong. The attendees were briefed on Hong Kong's unrivalled advantages of enjoying strong support from the motherland while being closely connected to the world under "one country, two systems". In a welcome remarks, Mr Lam said that as the only common law jurisdiction within China, Hong Kong's well-established legal system and top-notch legal and dispute resolution services give the city a unique edge which attracts business opportunities from across the globe. It is also an ideal gateway for the Middle East businesses and legal sectors to access the Mainland market. The lunch and networking reception attracted about 100 participants from the legal, business and other sectors of Saudi Arabia.

     In the afternoon, Mr Lam and his delegation visited the local office of a leading AI software company born in Hong Kong to have a better understanding of the business opportunities and challenges for the Hong Kong enterprises operating in Saudi Arabia.

     In the evening, Mr Lam and his delegation will have dinner with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr Chang Hua.

     They will end the first day programme by visiting the At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the outskirts of Riyadh, which was the first capital of the Saudi Dynasty.

     Mr Lam and the delegation will continue their visit in Riyadh tomorrow (May 20, Riyadh time).