SJ continues UK visit to boost ties with international legal sectors (with photos)

     The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, continued her visit to London, the United Kingdom, yesterday (June 14, London time) and met with key players in different sectors to promote Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution services.

     ​At a roundtable discussion with Asia House's corporate members in the morning, Ms Cheng spoke on Hong Kong's role as the deal making and dispute resolving hub under the Belt and Road Initiative.  

     Ms Cheng said that the Initiative provides vast opportunities.  Under the Initiative, Hong Kong can assume a more proactive role in connecting the Mainland and the rest of the world in terms of trade and investment.  Hong Kong, with a robust common law system which is familiar to the international business community and an independent judiciary, is well placed to serve as a centre for deal making and dispute resolution. 

     In the afternoon, Ms Cheng met with the President and Principal of King's College London, Professor Edward Byrne, and the Executive Dean of the Dickson Poon School of Law at King's College London, Professor Gillian Douglas. Ms Cheng also shared her views with participants including students of King's College London and other universities on the opportunities for Hong Kong in the international arena. 

     She introduced Hong Kong's unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" policy and the latest development of arbitration and mediation in Hong Kong.

     ​Ms Cheng also visited Gray's Inn to give a talk on the development and future of dispute resolution in Hong Kong. She said it is the steadfast policy of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to consolidate Hong Kong's position as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia Pacific region. She further outlined the opportunities brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area development, and Hong Kong's measures to promote the city’s dispute resolution services.

     Earlier in the day, Ms Cheng attended a breakfast briefing with the All Party Parliamentary China Group. She briefed the participants on the latest developments in Hong Kong, highlighting that Hong Kong has been committed to upholding the rule of law and judicial independence.

     ​Ms Cheng will call on the Law Society today (June 15, London time) before departing for Hong Kong in the afternoon.