Secretary for Justice Paul Lam started his United Arab Emirates (UAE) visit programme in Abu Dhabi today, with a delegation comprising representatives from the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, Invest Hong Kong and related sectors.

In the morning, the 30-strong delegation visited the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first universal museum in the Arab world.

Mr Lam and his delegation then received a market briefing from HSBC, Middle East to gain a better understanding of the UAE financial sector's demand for legal services. They also had a networking luncheon with the bank's senior executives to elaborate on Hong Kong's comprehensive professional legal services and its strengths in the rule of law.

This was followed by a meeting with senior representatives of the Abu Dhabi Global Market to understand the operation of their courts and arbitration centre, and a discussion on the recent developments in the arbitration landscapes in both places, and the impact of technology on the provision of online dispute resolution services.

Mr Lam and his delegation called on the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry this afternoon for a better understanding of its need for cross-jurisdictional legal services and to introduce Hong Kong's diversified legal and dispute resolution services.

The justice chief will attend a forum to promote Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution services in Dubai, the UAE tomorrow.