GBA Lawyers Organization Launched to Enhance Legal Collaboration in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

2025-12-05 19:10 Last Updated At：19:23

GBA Lawyers Organization established

The GBA Lawyers Organization was officially launched today (December 5) at the First Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lawyers Forum under the Hong Kong Legal Week 2025, with a view to steadily advancing the pilot scheme for lawyers practicing in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and fully leveraging their professional strengths. The Organization will provide liaison services and organise activities to support GBA lawyers to better contribute to the development of the GBA.

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GBA Lawyers Organization established Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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GBA Lawyers Organization established Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, remarked in his opening speech that the establishment of a dedicated platform for GBA lawyers was one of the key tasks in the Action Plan on the Construction of Rule of Law in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area released by the Department of Justice (DoJ) last year. The same initiative was also clearly stated in last year's Policy Address, reflecting the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's strong commitment to promote the nurturing of legal talent in the GBA. He thanked the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Justice of Guangdong Province for their strong support in the establishment of the GBA Lawyers Organization, and hoped that the Organization would in the future, collaborate closely with the DoJ to advance the pilot scheme for lawyers to practice in the GBA, create favourable conditions for regularising the GBA lawyers scheme, and contribute to the country's construction of foreign-related rule of law.

The Representative of the Preparatory Office of the GBA Lawyers Organization and Chairman of the China Legal Service (H.K.) Ltd, Ms Liu Changchun, introduced the objectives, functions and key activities of the Organization at the forum. The main responsibilities of the Organization include uniting Hong Kong lawyers with affection for the country and Hong Kong to give full effect to the role of GBA lawyers in the country's construction of foreign-related rule of law and promote integration of Hong Kong's legal community into the national development; strengthening professional exchanges and collaboration among lawyers in the area, facilitating GBA lawyers' participation in professional activities held in the Mainland and Hong Kong; and providing communication, consultation, and training services for those who already obtained the GBA lawyer's licence, such as those who passed the GBA Legal Professional Examination with a plan to practice in the Mainland, as well as applicants for the GBA Legal Professional Examination. The Organization will also study and analyse the challenges and issues faced by lawyers practicing in the GBA and propose solutions.

The first Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lawyers Forum, themed "GBA Connectivity: Setting Sail for Global Horizons", gathered Mainland and Hong Kong legal leaders who delivered keynote speeches on cross-boundary co-operation and future development of GBA lawyers. As the first keynote speaker, the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, elaborated on Hong Kong's unique advantages and how it leverages its strategic position as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia-Pacific region as well as measures introduced by the DoJ in strengthening Hong Kong's roles as a "super connector" and "super value-adder", making Hong Kong the preferred partner for Mainland enterprises seeking to expand abroad and for foreign companies hoping to tap into the Mainland market. The Director-General of the Department of Justice of Guangdong Province, Mr Chen Xudong, also delivered a keynote speech outlining Guangdong's implementation of and future development on the country's opening policy for Hong Kong and Macao legal services. Other speakers shared insights on the legal practitioners framework and regulatory regime for GBA lawyers; dispute resolution practice, and innovations in the regulatory framework and judicial practice concerning choice of law for Hong Kong and Macao-invested enterprises.

During the panel discussion themed "The Unique Advantage of 'One Country, Two Systems, Three Jurisdictions' - GBA Lawyers Facilitating Enterprises to Go Global", prominent GBA and Mainland lawyers exchanged practical experiences and discussed how dual-qualified GBA lawyers could leverage the unique strengths of the "one country, two systems, three jurisdictions" framework under the GBA to assist Mainland enterprises in going global.

For more details of the Hong Kong Legal Week 2025, please visit the dedicated website atwww.legalweek.hk. A live broadcast is available on the dedicated website and atwebcast.info.gov.hk.

CFS Warns Against Consuming Contaminated Italian Cheese Due to Listeria Risk

CFS urges public not to consume two batches of cheese suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (December 5) urged the public not to consume two batches of cheese imported from Italy due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The trade should stop using or selling the affected batches of the product immediately if they possess any of them.

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Raclette Sapin Vert 6.5kg

Batch numbers/use-by dates:

(1) 155121504/December 15, 2025; and

(2) 1551222/December 22, 2025

Importer: Bright View Trading Hong Kong Limited

"The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the European Commission that the above-mentioned batches of the product are being recalled due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers to follow up. A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batches of the product concerned," a spokesman for the CFS said.

The importer concerned has stopped sales and removed from shelves the affected batches of the product and has initiated a recall according to the CFS's instructions. Enquiries can be made to the importer's hotline at 3860 1906 during office hours.

"Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperatures. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicaemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in newborns," the spokesman added.

"In order to reduce the risk of listeriosis, susceptible populations such as pregnant women should consume freshly prepared hot food where possible, reheat chilled food until it is hot all the way through, and avoid high-risk foods, including ready-to-eat food such as cold cuts, cold smoked seafood, soft cheeses, salads, etc, or cook them thoroughly before consumption, even if they are presented as part of a dish."

The spokesman advised members of the public to stop consuming the affected batches of the product and seek medical treatment if they feel unwell after consuming the product concerned.

The CFS has alerted the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.

GBA Lawyers Organization Launched to Enhance Legal Collaboration in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area