Chief Secretary Carrie Lam visited the Department of Justice office building at Justice Place in Central today.
She met Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen and other senior department staff.
She then toured the Basic Law Unit and the China Law Unit under the Legal Policy Division.
She met with staff of the International Law Division and was briefed on their work in relation to the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering and co-operation with the Hague Conference on Private International Law and other international organisations.
At the Civil Division, Mrs Lam was told how it represents the Government in civil proceedings and provides related advice, as well as its work on mediation, including support for the Steering Committee on Mediation.
Mrs Lam then visited the Law Drafting Division and received a briefing on the latest developments in law compilation and publication, including the progress of the new legislation database project. She also discussed law drafting work with the division's staff.
Mrs Lam thanked the Department of Justice for upholding the rule of law in Hong Kong and providing professional legal advice to government bureaus and departments.
She said the rule of law is a core value of Hong Kong, and she encouraged the department's staff to keep up their professionalism and strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.
Before concluding the visit, Mrs Lam saw several heritage items in Justice Place, including the commemorative plaque and the time capsule for the opening of the former Central Government Offices in 1957, the former Executive Council Chamber, the conference room with original fittings and the former press room.
The former CGO is one of the projects under the Conserving Central initiative announced by the Development Bureau in 2009. As the former Secretary for Development, Mrs Lam said she was pleased to note that the Department of Justice, in carrying out renovation for Justice Place, fully preserved and restored elements with historical significance and conservation value while integrating compatible new facilities.
