Secretary for Justice Paul Lam, leading a cross-professional delegation, promoted Hong Kong's legal and other professional services in Xinjiang to boost bilateral co-operation and jointly contribute to the Belt & Road Initiative.
     
While attending a seminar organised by the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Xinjiang Lawyers Association yesterday, Mr Lam highlighted that Hong Kong is the only common law jurisdiction in China and noted that it possesses unique strengths of internationalisation, high standards, and strong credibility in its common law system.
 
As an international legal and dispute resolution services centre, Hong Kong's professional service teams are capable and willing to leverage their expertise to contribute to Xinjiang's high-quality development, he added.
     
The DoJ and the Department of Justice of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region signed a framework agreement for legal service co-operation at the seminar wherein the departments of justice of both places will foster exchanges and business co-operation.
 
Additionally, the Hong Kong Bar Association signed a memorandum of co-operation with the Xinjiang Lawyers Association to strengthen collaboration between Xinjiang lawyers and Hong Kong barristers to promote exchanges between the legal professions of both places.
     
Mr Lam also met Secretary of the CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regional Committee Chen Xiaojiang and the Department of Justice of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
     
After attending a luncheon with Deputy Secretary of the CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regional Committee Chen Mingguo, the Secretary for Justice visited the Silk Road Economic Belt Legal Service District and the Urumqi Court of International Arbitration to learn about their operations.
     
Apart from touring a Hong Kong-invested enterprise and the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, Mr Lam met Vice Chairman of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Xinjiang Production & Construction Xue Bin.
 
Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong tomorrow.