Tag Archives: China

     Following is the video speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the AALCO Annual Arbitration Forum 2023 today (December 5):
      
Dr Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol (Secretary-General of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO)), Deputy Commissioner Fang Jianming (Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)), Mr Nick Chan (Director of AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre), Consuls-General, distinguished guests from around the world, ladies and gentlemen,
      
     Good morning. It gives me great pleasure to speak to you at this annual forum of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization. I am glad, especially, to welcome you here in Hong Kong, as today is the first time for this high-powered forum to be staged in our city.
      
     The theme of today’s forum is “Resolving Differences in a Changing World by Staying True to the Bandung Spirit”. The Bandung Spirit, containing the Ten Principles of Bandung and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, is a widely recognised set of norms for international relations, and is as relevant and significant to modern society as it was back when it was formulated.
      
     Hong Kong is proud to have a long and established tradition of the rule of law. Our judiciary exercises its powers independently, free from any interference. We are the only common law jurisdiction in China and ranked one of the world’s top seats for arbitration.
      
     Our Basic Law authorises us to participate in international organisations. At last count, Hong Kong, China is a member of over 230 international organisations and conferences not limited to states.
      
     Over 260 multilateral agreements, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, continue to be in force and applicable to the HKSAR.
      
     In short, ladies and gentlemen, we have a legal system that is similar to most major financial centres around the world, and our standard on rights and freedoms is the international standard. We, therefore, certainly uphold the Bandung Spirit of mutual respect, peace and equality.
      
     It is against this backdrop, and with the strong support from our Central People’s Government, that the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization officially opened its Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre in May 2022.
      
     It is an acknowledgement of the HKSAR’s position as a leading centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, in line with our positioning under the National 14th Five-Year Plan.
      
     AALCO represents almost all major states from Asia and Africa. A substantial number of AALCO member states are also active members of the Belt and Road Initiative, a visionary co-operation platform proposed by President Xi Jinping a decade ago.
      
     Hong Kong champions free trade, and we are committed to promoting regional and international co-operation. We endeavour to serve as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the Mainland of China and the rest of the world, through the twin conduits of AALCO and Belt and Road networks.
      
     As I announced in my second Policy Address, we will continue to step up our efforts in excelling as an international legal centre. This Forum, I am pleased to add, offers a perfect opportunity for you to connect, and to forge partnerships that will drive our common future. It will, also, go a long way to supporting to the rapid development of our legal prowess.
      
     I wish you all a successful forum, and the best of health in the coming year. Thank you.
       read more

     The Director of Audit, Professor Nelson Lam, will depart tomorrow morning (December 6) for Zhuhai to attend the three-day 7th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Audit Conference 2023.  Principal Auditor Mr Allan Wong, Auditors Ms May Wan, Mr Bill Yu and Ms Rebecca Ma, and Corporate Communications Officer Ms Bonnie Ng of the Audit Commission will also join him on the visit.
   
     During the trip, Professor Lam will meet with officers of the National Audit Office, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, the Audit Office of Guangdong Province, the Commission of Audit of the Macao Special Administrative Region and the municipal audit bureaux of various cities of the Guangdong Province to gain an understanding of the current situation of big data auditing work and the co-ordinated development in the Greater Bay Area, and exchange views on related issues. read more

     The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, attended the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
 
     Mr Tse also attended the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group’s Steering Committee meeting on December 3 (Dubai time) to exchange views on topics such as green energy transformation and corporate social responsibility with other committee members as well as sharing the experience of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. Established in 2005, C40 is a global network of mayors committed to connecting cities around the world to take urgent action to confront the climate crisis. Hong Kong became a member city in 2007. Hong Kong is a member of the C40 Steering Committee representing the Central East Asia Region.
 
     Yesterday morning (December 4, Dubai time), Mr Tse visited Archireef, a Hong Kong company in Abu Dhabi, the UAE and learned about the company’s latest 3D printing technology to create artificial habitats for marine species threatened by climate change. He also visited WeRide, a technology company of autonomous driving. Mr Tse was briefed about their autonomous driving technology and experience in conducting autonomous driving tests.
 
     During his attendance at the COP28, Mr Tse also met with representatives from other regions to share experience and exchange views on topics of mutual concern. In the afternoon of December 3, Mr Tse met with the Head of Indonesia Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics, Professor Dwikorita Karnawati, to introduce the policies and measures of the HKSAR Government in combating climate change. They exchanged views on climate issues of mutual concern and future co-operation on climate projection. Yesterday, he was joined by the Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services), Ms Salina Yan, in meeting with the Singaporean delegation led by the Deputy Secretary of the Strategy Group at the Prime Minister’s Office of Singapore, Miss Cindy Khoo. They shared the strategies and progress in carbon reduction in the two places and also exchanged experience on topics such as voluntary carbon market trading, sustainable finance, and green bonds.
 
     Yesterday morning, Ms Yan and the Commissioner for Climate Change of the Environment and Ecology Bureau, Mr Wong Chuen-fai, attended the event on “China Carbon Market Development and Outlook” held at the COP28 China Pavilion and exchanged ideas with other participants, including the Director-General of Directorate-General for Climate Action of European Commission, Mr Kurt Vandenberghe; the Global Director for Climate Change Group of the World Bank Group, Ms Jennifer J. Sara; and the President of International Emissions Trading Association, Mr Dirk Forrister.
 
     Ms Yan also attended the COP28 “Global Climate Action Through Fostering Sustainable Finance” event afterwards, where Intensel Limited, a Hong Kong-based climate technology company, was awarded the COP28 UAE TechSprint Award for its artificial intelligence solutions to scale up climate action.
 
     Mr Wong attended the press conference on “Opportunities for Greater Bay Area Climate Collaboration” at the COP28 venue organised by the Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality of the University of Hong Kong to introduce the climate action in Hong Kong.
 
     Mr Tse will continue his visit in Dubai today (December 5, Dubai time).

                        

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government issued a solemn statement today (December 4) to condemn strongly the shameful acts of Chow Ting, who was arrested by the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force for suspected violation of the offence of “collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security”, of absconding to avoid legal responsibilities. She blatantly claimed in social media that she planned to jump bail, which is a total disregard of law and order. The HKSAR Government will spare no effort in bringing her to justice in accordance with the law.

     Chow Ting’s flagrant disregard for police bail terms showed that she is completely devoid of integrity. She has also never soberly reflected on her acts, which are suspected to have violated the law, but has tried to escape from legal consequences. No matter what excuses she put forward or how she attempted to deceive and win sympathy, her hypocrisy, disgrace and disregard for law and order are laid bare.

     Endangering national security is a very serious offence, and the HKSAR Government will fight against it with full force and pursue the liability of the person to the end. Fugitives should not have any delusion that they could evade legal liabilities by absconding from Hong Kong. Fugitives will be pursued for life unless they turn themselves in.

     The HKSAR Government urged Chow Ting to repent and co-operate with the Police, be responsible for her own act and turn over a new leaf, before it is too late for regrets. read more

     â€‹The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR today (December 4) jointly held a seminar on Constitution Day, with the Endeavour Education Centre as the supporting organisation, with a view to enhancing public understanding of the constitutional basis and order of the country and Hong Kong.
    
     More than 600 participants from various sectors of the community attended the Seminar themed “The Constitution and Chinese Modernisation” to actively explore in building a great China and advancing Chinese modernisation, how Hong Kong can contribute to the country and dovetail with the national strategies for better integration into the overall national development. The Seminar comprised of two parts: a keynote speech and a panel discussion. The keynote speech was delivered by Professor Zhang Xiang from the Peking University Law School. The panel discussion was moderated by the Chairman of the Management Committee of the Endeavour Education Centre, Mrs Rita Fan, who hosted a discussion with Member of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and Member of the Legislative Council, Professor Priscilla Leung; HKSAR Deputy to the NPC, Mr Nicholas Chan; and Professor Zhang, on the important role of the Constitution in promoting Chinese modernisation, Hong Kong’s participation in the national rejuvenation and the country’s modernisation .
    
     Speaking at the Seminar, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said that the Chinese path to modernisation should be safeguarded by the Constitution. Similarly, the HKSAR’s path of “one country, two systems”, which is a pioneering path in history, must also be safeguarded by the Constitution and the Basic Law. The Central Authorities’ overall jurisdiction is the source of the HKSAR’s high degree of autonomy. The former and latter are in a relationship of “source” and “stream”. Safeguarding and implementing the Central Authorities’ overall jurisdiction is also fundamentally safeguarding the HKSAR’s high degree of autonomy. Mr Lee stated that, in order to safeguard the jurisdiction, the firm implementation of the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong” is a must. He appealed to the public again to cast their votes so as to support the first major territory-wide election organised by the HKSAR Government after improving the district governance system and reforming the District Councils.
    
     In his speech delivered at the Seminar, the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Mr Zheng Yanxiong, mentioned that Hong Kong has been re-integrated into the national governance system since the day of its return, the Central Government exercises jurisdiction over Hong Kong in accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law, which has not only maintained the capitalist system, way of life and legal environment that Hong Kong people are accustomed to, but has also inspired them to participate in the Mainland’s reform and opening up and modernisation, and to integrate into the overall development of the country, thereby creating prosperity and a bright future for Hong Kong. The implementation of “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong has always been one of the most unique and beautiful scenery in the country’s modernisation process.

     Professor Zhang pointed out in his keynote speech that the contemporary Constitution provides various methods and channels for national governance, and ascertains the main responsibility of the Constitution in many dimensions in national governance. With the utilisation of methods and measures of the Constitution and the fully implementation of the Constitution, the system of national governance can accomplish modernisation in full extent and the governance ability can enhance substantively. The fully implementation of the Constitution is the most fundamental and important act to enhance the governance ability and modernise the system of national governance.
    
     The Government has arranged the government website as well as some major television stations to broadcast live the Seminar. The full version of the Seminar will also be uploaded to the website of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (www.cmab.gov.hk/en/home/index.htm) to enable members of the public to review the Seminar. They may visit the dedicated webpage (www.cmab.gov.hk/en/issues/constitution_day.htm) for other information about Constitution Day.