Secretary for Justice Strengthens Legal Ties Between Hong Kong and Beijing During Beijing Visit

SJ continues visit to Beijing

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Beijing, leading officers from the Department of Justice (DoJ) to visit local arbitral institutions to deepen co-operation between Beijing and Hong Kong in legal and dispute resolution services. He also met with various ministries.

In the morning today (April 23), Mr Lam visited the Tsinghua University History Museum, and met with student representatives from the School of Law and Hong Kong to better understand their learning and daily life in the university. Mr Lam then conducted a seminar with the Dean of the School of Law of Tsinghua University, Professor Cui Guobin, and met with Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Tsinghua University Committee Professor Guo Yong and Vice President of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies and Professor of the School of Law of Tsinghua University Professor Wang Zhenmin to exchange views on issues such as training for legal talent.

In the afternoon, Mr Lam met with the Chairman of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee and Macao Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee of the NPCSC, Mr Shen Chunyao, to discuss the implementation and promotion of the Constitution and the Basic Law in Hong Kong and explore matters relating to Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area lawyers.

Yesterday morning (April 22), Mr Lam visited the International Commercial Arbitration Center (Beijing) with other officers, where they explored co-operation between the Center and Hong Kong's arbitration sector in talent exchange and business development.

In the afternoon, Mr Lam visited the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) to exchange views on collaboration opportunities between CIETAC and Hong Kong's legal sector in international economic and trade arbitration and international commercial mediation.

Mr Lam then called onthe Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, and met with the offices' Deputy Director Mr Nong Rong to report on the DoJ's work and plans for this year. These included initiatives to strengthen Hong Kong's position as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre in alignment with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, efforts related to safeguarding national security, and the latest progress in adaptation of laws.

Accompanying Mr Lam on the visit were the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Maggie Yang; the Law Officer (International Law), Dr James Ding; the Solicitor General, Mr Llewellyn Mui; the Law Officer (Civil Law), Mr Clifford Tavares, and government counsel from various legal divisions.

Mr Lam will continue his visit to Beijing tomorrow (April 24).

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Beijing, called on the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, and met with the offices' Deputy Director Mr Nong Rong on April 22. Photo shows Mr Nong (front row, centre); Mr Lam (front row, fourth left); the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Maggie Yang (front row, fourth right); the Law Officer (International Law), Dr James Ding (front row, second left); the Solicitor General, Mr Llewellyn Mui (front row, second right); and the Law Officer (Civil Law), Mr Clifford Tavares (front row, first left), before the meeting. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Beijing. Photo shows Mr Lam (first right), visiting the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission on April 22. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Beijing. Photo shows Mr Lam (fourth left), visiting the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission on April 22. The Law Officer (Civil Law), Mr Clifford Tavares (fifth left) also joined the visit. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Beijing. Photo shows Mr Lam (centre) visiting the International Commercial Arbitration Center (Beijing) on April 22. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Beijing. Photo shows Mr Lam (third right), visiting the International Commercial Arbitration Center (Beijing) on April 22. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Beijing and visited Tsinghua University on April 23. Photo shows Mr Lam (second left); Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of China Tsinghua University Committee Professor Guo Yong (second right); Vice President of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies and Professor of the School of Law of Tsinghua University Professor Wang Zhenmin (first left); and the Dean of the School of Law of Tsinghua University, Professor Cui Guobin (first right) after their meeting. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Beijing. Photo shows Mr Lam (front row, fourth left) conducting a seminar with the Dean of the School of Law of Tsinghua University, Professor Cui Guobin on April 23. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Maggie Yang (front row, fourth right); the Law Officer (International Law), Dr James Ding (front row, second right); the Solicitor General, Mr Llewellyn Mui (front row, third right); and the Law Officer (Civil Law), Mr Clifford Tavares (front row, third left), also attended the seminar. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Beijing. Photo shows Mr Lam (first right) visiting Tsinghua University History Museum on April 23 and chatting with student representatives from the School of Law of Tsinghua University and Hong Kong. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Beijing. Photo shows Mr Lam (left) visiting the Tsinghua University History Museum on April 23. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SJ continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government concludes seventh-day arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units

Today (April 26) is the seventh day of phased arrangements for residents of seven blocks of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po to return to their units. Five middle-zone floors of Wang Cheong House and 10 low-zone floors of Wang Tao House were opened. The access arrangements were carried out in an orderly manner and operated smoothly.

A total of 116 households (418 people) registered to return to their units today through the "one social worker per household" service, while 116 households (424 people) actually turned up.

The average time residents spent entering and leaving the building today was two hours and 26 minutes, with the shortest time being 21 minutes and the longest three hours and 56 minutes. About 77 per cent of the residents stayed in the building for less than three hours. About 26 per cent of the residents stayed in the building for less than two hours. About 4 per cent of the residents stayed in the building for less than one hour.

A total of 62 households (151 people) went up and down the building more than once. Among them, 18 households (64 people) made one additional trip, 22 households (46 people) made two additional trips, 11 households (20 people) made three additional trips, 5 households (12 people) made four additional trips, 5 households (8 people) made five additional trips, and 1 household (1 person) made six additional trips.

The integrated enquiry counter set up by relevant departments today received 7 cases requesting police assistance and 1 case involving residents seeking help due to physical discomfort, as well as 1 case seeking psychological counselling services.

The 7 cases requesting police assistance involved suspected loss of property, including watches, jewellery, cash and gold items. Officers were immediately deployed to assist in searches, and lost property was recovered in five cases. For the remaining two cases, the Police will make further investigation.

The Government spares no effort in supporting the residents returning to their units. Each day, the Government deploys over 1 000 personnel from various departments, including the Police, the Civil Aid Service, the Fire Services Department, the Auxiliary Medical Service, the Home Affairs Department, the Social Welfare Department (SWD), the Housing Department, and the Housing Bureau, as well as District Services and Community Care Teams members. The "Government-wide Mobilisation" mechanism has also been activated to bring together greater interdepartmental resources to support residents.

Under the "Government-wide Mobilisation" mechanism, the Civil Service Bureau has co-ordinated nine government departments to mobilise civil servants to form the Government Quick Response Unit to support these access arrangements. These civil servants come from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the Architectural Services Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), the Environmental Protection Department, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Lands Department (LandsD), the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the Post Office, and the Water Supplies Department(WSD). They will form dedicated teams with social workers and clinical psychologists from the SWD, stationed on different floors to provide support to residents returning to their units. The civil servants mobilised in the first three days were from the AFCD, those mobilised from the fourth day to the sixth day are from the EMSD and the LCSD, while those mobilised from the seventh day to the ninth day (including today) are from the LandsD and the WSD.

Government concludes seventh-day arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government concludes seventh-day arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government concludes seventh-day arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government concludes seventh-day arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government concludes seventh-day arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government concludes seventh-day arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases