Secretary for Justice Paul Lam today led a delegation to attend the seventh Hong Kong Legal Services Forum in Xi'an to promote Hong Kong's international legal and dispute resolution services to the legal sector and enterprises in Shaanxi and the neighbouring regions.

Minister of Justice He Rong, CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee Secretary Zhao Yide and over 800 local lawyers and legal sector representatives were also at the forum.

With the theme of "Serving the Belt & Road Initiative: A New Chapter in Shaanxi-Hong Kong Co-operation", the forum this year explored issues of interest to Shaanxi enterprises as they go global in handling trade, commerce and foreign investment under the Belt & Road Initiative.

It also introduced the international legal and dispute resolution services which Hong Kong can offer as a “super connector” for cross-border transactions and as a centre for dispute resolution services.

In his opening address, Mr Lam said Shaanxi and Hong Kong have maintained close exchanges and co-operation over the years. He mentioned that the governments of the two places signed the Strengthening Hong Kong/Shaanxi Co-operation Agreement last year, which covers legal and dispute resolution services.

The Department of Justice of Shaanxi Province and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's Department of Justice (DoJ) also signed the Framework Arrangement on Co-operation in Legal Services to Support the Belt & Road Initiative to strengthen the exchanges and co-operation in legal services and talent-nurturing between the two places to better facilitate legal services bodies in both places.

Mr Lam pointed out that the forum represented a significant concrete action in implementing the agreement. He added that he looked forward to strengthening exchanges and co-operation with Shaanxi to serve the country's needs.

Yesterday, Mr Lam attended the graduation ceremony of the Hong Kong Common Law & Dispute Resolution Practical Training Course, organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy with the assistance of the Shaanxi Province Lawyers Association.

The programme is the first foreign-related legal talent training programme held by the academy in a Mainland city.

A total of about 140 foreign-related lawyers, mainly from Shaanxi Province and the surrounding provinces, cities, autonomous regions and municipalities, participated.

Mr Lam and the delegation also visited the Belt & Road Demonstration Zone for International Commercial Legal Services in Xi'an, and toured the Xi'an Arbitration Commission, Xi'an China-Europe Railway Express Assembly Center and the three centres of the Ministry of Justice.

They learnt about Shaanxi's efforts in fostering an international first-class business environment and the local demand for foreign-related legal services in the Belt & Road context, and discussed how Hong Kong's international legal and dispute resolution services can provide relevant professional support.

The seventh Hong Kong Legal Services Forum was jointly organised by the DoJ, the Department of Justice of Shaanxi Province and the Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office of Shaanxi Provincial People's Government, together with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the X'ian Municipal People's Government as co-organisers.

Mr Lam’s delegation comprised more than 120 representatives from the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Law Society of Hong Kong and other related sectors.

He will conclude his visit this afternoon and return to Hong Kong.