Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said today the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as an integral part of China, shares China's resolute commitment to upholding the rule of law on a global scale and safeguarding the development interests through legal means.

He gave the remarks at the conclusion of the Legal Forum on Interconnectivity & Development, which is part of Hong Kong Legal Week 2023.

Mr Lam noted that under the principle of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong plays a unique role in the high-quality development of Belt & Road co-operation.

“Being the only common law jurisdiction in China, our judicial system is open, independent and enjoys a renowned international reputation. Our court judgments have garnered recognition in other common law jurisdictions, underscoring our legal influence.

“Leveraging these inherent advantages, Hong Kong serves as a ‘superconnector’ between the Mainland and rest of the world, providing an ideal business environment governed by the rule of law.”

He also highlighted that the Department of Justice (DoJ) remains committed to developing Hong Kong as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region in order to support the Belt & Road Initiative and to contribute to higher-quality and higher-level development of Belt & Road co-operation.

Co-organised by the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong SAR and the DoJ, the forum attracted more than 700 judges, academics, government officials, and other legal professionals from over 50 jurisdictions, including countries situated along the Belt & Road route such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Cambodia.

During the forum, Huang Huikang, a member of the United Nations International Law Commission, delivered a keynote address on the milestone of China's legislation on foreign relations.

Other topics discussed included the joint construction of international economic and trade rules, development of dispute resolution for investment disputes and use of mediation in promoting high-quality Belt & Road co-operation as well as consideration of Hong Kong's role in strengthening legal safeguards under the Belt & Road Initiative.

There were also important discussions on the avenues and legal instruments in addressing external challenges such as unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction as well as discriminatory measures, citing the case brought by Hong Kong, China against the US in relation to the origin marking requirement imposed on Hong Kong products by the US.

There was also an exchange on China's foreign relations law and the extraterritorial application of Chinese law, and the role of private international law in promoting the high standard of China's opening-up.

Delivering the event's welcome remarks, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong SAR Acting Commissioner Li Yongsheng noted that China is committed to upholding true multilateralism and safeguarding the international-law-based international order.