Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan began his visit to Beijing by calling on various authorities and organisations, and meeting senior officials of the ministries and authorities to exchange views on various issues.

The issues they discussed included the construction of rule of law in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and nurturing foreign-related legal talent.

This morning, Mr Cheung met National People's Congress Standing Committee Legislative Affairs Commission Deputy Director Wang Ruihe to introduce to him the Department of Justice's (DoJ) work on promoting the rule of law education including the Constitution, the Basic Law, and the legal mechanism for safeguarding national security.

They also had in-depth exchanges on matters such as the taking forward of the extension of the measures of allowing Hong Kong-invested enterprises to adopt Hong Kong law and to choose Hong Kong as the seat of arbitration to the nine Mainland cities of the GBA.

Mr Cheung then called on CPC Central Committee Hong Kong & Macao Work Office Director and State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Director Xia Baolong to brief him on the latest developments of the DoJ's work including establishing the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy, developing Hong Kong as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, and promoting the construction of rule of law in the bay area.

Mr Xia fully recognised the important role played by the DoJ in fully and faithfully implementing the "one country, two systems" principle, steadfastly safeguarding national security, enhancing the rule of law in Hong Kong, and protecting the promotion of the long-term prosperity and stability of the city.

He also pointed out that the central authorities firmly support Hong Kong to maintain the common law system, to improve the city’s judicial system and legal system, to establish itself as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region and to develop into a regional intellectual property trading centre. 

Mr Xia stressed that the golden reputation of Hong Kong's rule of law is built and maintained by all members of the judicial and legal sectors in Hong Kong, including judges at different levels of courts.

The central authorities will firmly defend the dignity of rule of law and the judges in Hong Kong, unwaveringly support Hong Kong courts to exercise judicial power independently according to the law, and steadfastly safeguard the lawful rights of Hong Kong judges and judicial officers, he said.

In addition to thanking Mr Xia for such recognition and support, the Deputy Secretary for Justice made it clear that the DoJ would continue to fully, faithfully, and resolutely implement the policy of "one country, two systems", and spare no effort in promoting and consolidating Hong Kong's status as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.

In the afternoon, Mr Cheung visited the Supreme People's Court and met its Executive Vice-president Deng Xiuming to discuss issues such as enhancing the arrangement for service of judicial documents between the two places.

On behalf of the DOJ, he signed a memorandum of understanding with the court on establishing a standing interface platform on judicial and legal co-operation in the GBA.

Mr Cheung also visited the Smart Court Laboratory.

During his visit to the Peking University Law School, apart from meeting Dean of Law School Prof Guo Li to explore the strengthening of co-operation on nurturing foreign-related legal talent for the country, Mr Cheung toured the school’s law library.

After arriving in Beijing yesterday, Mr Cheung met General Administration of Sport of China Department of Policies & Regulations Director General Chu Bo to enhance understanding of the work of the China Commission of Arbitration for Sport, and explore co-operation opportunities between the two places on promoting sports dispute resolution. 

He then called on China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Vice Chairman Yu Jianlong to discuss issues that pertain to enhancing co-operation and the nurturing of talent between the two places in commercial mediation.