Secretary for Justice Paul Lam arrived in Paris, France on Tuesday as he continued a trip spanning various European countries.

Mr Lam attended a Hong Kong legal services seminar organised by the Department of Justice (DoJ) and briefed representatives of various international organisations on Hong Kong's arbitration system and the advantages offered by its legal service sector.

On meeting Financial Action Task Force (FATF) President Elisa de Anda Madrazo on Tuesday, Mr Lam remarked that as an international financial centre Hong Kong has always supported the FATF’s work to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing and to maintain the stability of the international financial system.

He added that the DoJ has participated in mutual evaluations among FATF member jurisdictions.

Mr Lam later visited the Chambre Arbitrale Maritime de Paris (the Paris Maritime Arbitration Chamber) and met its Secretary General Pascale Mesnil. He was briefed on the chamber’s operations, France’s arbitration sector, and developments in resolving international maritime disputes through arbitration.

He highlighted that Hong Kong is committed to optimising its arbitration system through multi-pronged policy measures, and to enhancing and consolidating its status as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr Lam also expressed hope for a deepening of exchanges and co-operation with the French arbitration sector.

Yesterday morning, Mr Lam visited the office of the French National & Olympic Sports Committee (CNOSF) and met representatives of the Chambre Arbitrale du Sport (the Chamber of Arbitration for Sport) and the CNOSF Conference of Conciliators to learn about the committee's sports arbitration and conciliation services.

He also spoke about the DoJ's work in promoting sports dispute resolution in Hong Kong.

At noon, Mr Lam attended a lunch event hosted by the Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the French Republic Deng Li.

Mr Lam briefed Mr Deng on Hong Kong’s efforts in safeguarding national security, implementing the principle of “one country, two systems” by rule of law, and leveraging its unique advantages to promote development.

In the afternoon, Mr Lam attended the seminar organised by in Paris by the DoJ: “Hong Kong Legal Services – Gateway to China and Beyond”.

He outlined the unique advantages of Hong Kong’s legal services sector under the principle of “one country, two systems” to about 130 participants.

Giving a keynote speech, Mr Lam stressed that Hong Kong is the only common law jurisdiction in China and the only jurisdiction in the world with a bilingual common law system in Chinese and English.

He said that Hong Kong’s common law system aligns with the legal systems of many major economies and with the rules of international trade and business, adding that the city’s professional and comprehensive legal services industry provides high-quality legal services to support global financial and commercial activities.

During the seminar, Mr Lam also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre and Jus Mundi, an AI-powered legal research platform based in Paris, that will enhance co-operation in legal and alternative dispute resolution between Hong Kong and France.