SJ concludes visit to Beijing (with photos)
2.6.2023

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, has concluded his visit to Beijing today (June 2). He called on the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Xia Baolong, with the officials in his entourage, to report on the Beijing visit and the work plans, as well as the latest developments of the rule-of-law-related aspects of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Mr Lam expressed his gratitude to Mr Xia for his encouragement and support, and said that the Department of Justice will continue to fully and faithfully implement the principle of "one country, two systems", to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and to further capitalise on Hong Kong's unique advantages as the only common law jurisdiction in the country, so as to leverage the city's strengths to meet the country's need and more proactively integrate into the overall development of the country, thereby contributing to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In addition, Mr Lam attended an annual exchange meeting with the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday morning (May 31). He met with the Minister of Justice, Ms He Rong, to discuss further promoting the alignment and harmonisation of legal rules and mechanisms in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the pilot measures for Hong Kong and Macao legal practitioners to practise in the GBA, and the arrangements concerning legal talent exchanges and training. Mr Lam visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the same day to meet with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Deng Li. Mr Lam also attended an annual exchange meeting with the Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ma Xinmin, to discuss the role of the HKSAR in the country's development in the practice of foreign-related legal affairs, the work progress of the International Organization for Mediation Preparatory Office established in the HKSAR, and the continuing co-operation and exchanges with international organisations. Yesterday morning (June 1), Mr Lam called on the Ministry of Commerce to meet with Vice Minister of Commerce Mr Sheng Qiuping. Mr Lam also attended an annual exchange meeting with the Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Commerce, Ms Li Yongjie, to proactively deliberate on the plan for implementing the tripartite exchanges and co-operation arrangement signed by both parties together with the Bureau of Policies, Laws and Regulations of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. They also discussed the participation of the HKSAR, as part of the Chinese delegation, in the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law's work on the reform of the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism. Mr Lam then met with the Director of the Research Office of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee and Macao Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC), Mr Yang Zhaoye, and the Administrative Office Director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPCSC, Mr Sun Zhenping, to discuss topics including the progress of the HKSAR's work on the implementation of national laws and related work, the exercise of systematic review of statutory laws, and the rule of law education on promoting national laws. Mr Lam returned to Hong Kong this afternoon. Ends/Friday, June 2, 2023 Issued at HKT 20:53 NNNN