Hong Kong's Legal Framework Strengthens Greater Bay Area Collaboration, Says Acting Justice Secretary

Speech by Acting SJ at Greater Bay Area Conference 2025

Following is the speech by the Acting Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, at the Greater Bay Area Conference 2025 today (October 23):

Mr Zhou (Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China Daily, Mr Zhou Li), my dear panel members, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. I am pleased to join you all today at the Greater Bay Area Conference.

Hong Kong proudly serves as a dynamic bridge linking the Chinese Mainland, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and the global market. I would like to take this opportunity today to highlight three key pillars that underpin Hong Kong's leadership in this new era of collaboration: our robust legal framework, our world-class legal services and our pioneering advances in legal co-operation through the GBA framework.

First pillar

Hong Kong's legal framework is the bedrock of financial innovation and sustainable economic development. Hong Kong's common law system offers certainty, transparency, and credibility, qualities highly prized by international investors and financial institutions. This robust legal infrastructure protects property rights and effectively enforces contracts, fostering confidence in developing advanced financial products and fintech innovations.

We are also conscious of the need to be agile and forward-looking, responding to evolving market needs in a timely manner. For instance, recent refinements to the paperless securities markets enhance efficiency on the one hand and provide better investor protection and transparency on the other.

Additionally, the Stablecoins Ordinance, which took effect in August, establishes a clear licensing regime for issuers of fiat-referenced stablecoins. The Ordinance introduces rigorous safeguards against financial stability risks, promotes investor protection while encouraging financial innovation.

These initiatives demonstrate our proactive approach in adapting our regulatory framework to new financial realities, reinforcing Hong Kong's status as the freest economy in the world and the preferred hub for both traditional and cutting-edge financing.

Second pillar

Of course, a sophisticated financial system is only as strong as the legal expertise that supports it. This brings me to the second pillar: how Hong Kong's legal services empower Chinese Mainland enterprises to go global confidently.

Our legal sector is robust and diverse, with about 1 700 barristers and over 11 000 solicitors across more than 900 firms, many having a strong presence on the Chinese Mainland and in other parts of the world. Furthermore, over 1 600 foreign lawyers from about 40 jurisdictions and 80 foreign firms also operate here. This extensive and diverse talent pool is consistently ranked among the world's best in practice areas like capital markets, corporate law and dispute resolution.

Specifically, as a place of arbitration, Hong Kong is the world's second most preferred seat for arbitration and tops Asia-Pacific in the latest international survey. This is a vivid testament to the international credibility of our arbitration regime.

Unique legal arrangements with the Chinese Mainland further strengthen our position. Hong Kong is the only common law jurisdiction where parties can seek interim measures like freezing orders directly from the Chinese Mainland courts and benefit from a comprehensive mechanism for reciprocal enforcement of judgments, including intellectual property cases.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong-invested companies in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and other Chinese Mainland cities in the GBA enjoy greater flexibility in choosing Hong Kong law or Hong Kong as the place of arbitration regardless of ownership ratios. This offers the credibility and predictability of Hong Kong's common law system when investors leverage the immense opportunities in the GBA - a truly "best of both worlds" advantage.

Third pillar

Building on our foundation of expertise, our third pillar is to facilitate integration and collaboration in the GBA. Taking the area of commercial dispute resolution as an example, we are actively working to set up a platform for GBA commercial mediation and arbitration. This will bring together mediation and arbitration institutions in GBA to adopt the unified GBA Standards. Currently, established GBA Standards cover mediator and arbitrator qualifications, harmonised mediation rules and a panel of mediators. By setting up a clear roster of institutions that implement the GBA standards, we send a strong signal to the market about where to find efficient and trusted dispute resolution services in the GBA.

In conclusion, Hong Kong's stable and dynamic legal environment is a pillar of its strength as an international financial centre, and a catalyst for deeper collaboration and integration in the GBA. With a world-class financial regulatory environment, unparalleled legal expertise and effective legal co-operation with the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong solidifies our indispensable role as the premier gateway for finance, business and investments in the GBA and beyond.

On this note, I wish the Conference a great success. Thank you very much.

Speech by Acting SJ at Greater Bay Area Conference 2025 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CHP urges public to promptly receive seasonal influenza vaccination as another severe paediatric influenza infection case reported

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 18) recorded a severe paediatric influenza infection case. The CHP again reminded parents to arrange for their children to receive a free seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) promptly. The SIV remains one of the most effective methods of preventing influenza and its complications, and can reduce the risk of serious complications or death from infection.

The case involves a 14-year-old boy with underlying illness. He developed a fever, shortness of breath and productive cough since January 16. He sought medical attention at the Accident and Emergency Department of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on January 17 and was transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit for further management on the same day. He is currently in critical condition. His respiratory specimen tested positive for influenza A virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis is influenza A infection complicated with severe pneumonia and septic shock.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the boy received the 2025/26 SIV only three days before onset of illness. As it generally takes two weeks for the body to develop sufficient protection after vaccination, the boy was not protected by the vaccine. Therefore, it is not counted as being vaccinated. The boy had no travel history during the incubation period. Two of his household contacts developed mild respiratory symptoms earlier. The nasal swab sample of one of the household contacts tested positive for influenza A virus via rapid antigen test. The symptoms were mild and hospitalisation was not required.

The summer influenza season just ended had recorded 25 severe paediatric influenza cases, including three fatal cases. The affected children were aged between 6 months to 17 years old. Among them, 20 cases (80 per cent) had not received an SIV (including one case who received the 2025/26 SIV only four days before onset of illness).

"The summer influenza season was ended. However, influenza activity may rise again as the weather remains cold in the first quarter of this year and it cannot be ruled out that the circulating virus strains may change as the winter influenza season approaches. Therefore, I once again urge all individuals aged 6 months or older, except those with known contraindications, to act promptly if they have not yet received an SIV. This includes those who contracted influenza during the summer influenza season in order to guard against other circulating virus strains that may emerge during the upcoming winter influenza season. Furthermore, although there are some antigenic differences between the currently circulating influenza A (H3) virus strain and the virus strain contained in the vaccine, scientific research indicates that this season's influenza vaccines can still offer protection against the variant strain of subclade K, as well as the influenza A (H1) and influenza B strains included in the vaccine," the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said.

"Although the influenza activity has declined to below the baseline level at the moment, outbreaks caused by influenza viruses still occurred in schools and residential care homes. For children who did not join the SIV School Outreach Programme, parents should promptly bring their children toprivate doctorsenrolled in the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme to receive an SIV. In addition, the SIV coverage rate for children aged 6 months to under 2 years is only about 23 per cent. Although this represents an approximate 4 percentage point increase compared to the same period last year, it is still much lower than that of other age groups. Through the Primary Healthcare Commission, the CHP has urged family doctors to assist in encouraging parents to allow their children to receive an SIV," Dr Tsui added.

He also reminded members of the public that, especially for children, the elderly and those with underlying illnesses, they should seek medical advice promptly for early treatment if they present with fever and respiratory symptoms. As children with influenza can deteriorate rapidly, parents must pay close attention to their children's condition. They should go to an Accident and Emergency Department immediately if the child's condition deteriorates, for example, if they develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, blue lips, chest pain, confusion, a persistent fever or convulsions.

Separately, high-risk individuals should wear surgical masks when staying in crowded places. People with respiratory symptoms, even if mild, should wear a surgical mask and seek medical advice promptly. They should also consider whether to attend work or school.

In addition to issuing timely reminders to healthcare professionals and schools based on the latest seasonal influenza development, the CHP also uploads the latest seasonal influenza information on its website weekly. Members of the public can visit the CHP'sseasonal influenzaandCOVID-19 & Flu Expresswebpages.

Source: AI-found images