Deputy Secretary for Justice Celebrates Graduation of Legal Practical Training Course for Chinese Enterprises Going Overseas

Speech by DSJ at graduation ceremony of Legal Practical Training Course for Chinese Enterprises Going Overseas

Following is the speech by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, at the graduation ceremony of the Legal Practical Training Course for Chinese Enterprises Going Overseas today (October 16):

The graduation ceremony of the Legal Practical Training Course for Chinese Enterprises Going Overseas. Photo source: FB@Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon. I am delighted to address you all today as we mark the successful conclusion of the Legal Practical Training Course for Chinese Enterprises Going Overseas. On behalf of the Academy (Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy), I extend my heartfelt congratulations and appreciation to all of you who have contributed to the success of this course.

I would like to express our most sincere gratitude to (State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council) for their unwavering support throughout the course. Our thanks also extend to our institutional partners and esteemed moderators and speakers who have played a pivotal role in enriching every aspect of this course. Since its launch in November 2024, the Academy has already partnered with around 30 international organisations and professional bodies to deliver capacity-building programmes for over 5 000 participants worldwide, covering topics including international law, Hong Kong common law, international arbitration and Chinese Mainland law, contributing to the cultivation of foreign-related legal talent.

Over the last week of insightful lectures and lively exchange sessions covering common law, export control and sanctions, and international commercial and investment arbitration, I hope you have not only gained fresh perspectives that will advance your professional careers, but also acquired a deeper and first-hand understanding of Hong Kong's robust legal system and vibrant legal sector, and enjoyed a rewarding and fulfilling stay.

Hong Kong's legal and professional services stand ready to support Chinese Mainland enterprises in their global expansion. In last year's edition of the course, we explored the opportunities in the markets of Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. This year, we have turned our attention to the dynamic developments in Central Asia and Latin America. Together, we now have a more complete picture of the challenges faced by Chinese Mainland enterprises going global.

In June this year, I had the privilege of joining a highly fruitful delegation led by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The visit demonstrated that Hong Kong is a trusted partner not only to these emerging markets, but also to Chinese Mainland enterprises seeking to expand into these markets and beyond.

Hong Kong is an international financial centre and international trade centre connecting global capital to the Chinese Mainland. As an international legal hub, Hong Kong can bring you a robust common law system, a deep pool of seasoned professionals with extensive international networks, and a transparent and sound regulatory framework. We offer certainty, predictability and effectiveness essential to cross-border dispute resolution.

On a related note, I am pleased to highlight several key initiatives launched by our Department (Department of Justice), this year, some of which may already have been discussed during the final panel discussion of the course just now. These include the publication of the Panel List of Hong Kong Legal Service Providers Supporting "Go Global", comprising over 70 legal services providers in Hong Kong to facilitate precise connections of Chinese Mainland enterprises with Hong Kong's legal professional services based on their specific needs for expanding overseas. Moreover, our Department has published two collections of success stories ("Collection of Success Stories: Hong Kong's Professional Services Supporting Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global"), featuring over 200 success stories. Covering various professional fields, including legal, financial, accounting and business consultancy services, as well as different industries and investment destinations, the case studies use real-life examples to demonstrate the value contributed by Hong Kong's professional services throughout the entire business cycle of internationalisation. Our professional services can offer comprehensive support, safeguard corporate interests and mitigate operational risks. I encourage you to bring in Hong Kong professional services early in the planning stage of your company's overseas expansion to minimise risks.

As we wrap up this course, I invite each of you to take a few minutes to complete the feedback form and tell us how we can improve our training courses in future.

Last but not least, I warmly invite you to join our Hong Kong Legal Week 2026, which will be held in Hong Kong from November 2 to 6 this year. As our annual flagship event, Hong Kong Legal Week brings together legal professionals, business leaders, policymakers, academics and representatives from leading international organisations from Hong Kong and around the world. This year's theme, "Collaboration & Innovation: Legal Synergy for a Shared Future", will feature practical exchanges and forward-looking discussions on cross-border trade, international legal co-operation, lawtech, and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and beyond. Please feel free to register in person or online at our website.

Ladies and gentlemen, congratulations once again. I wish you every success in your future endeavours, and a safe and pleasant journey home. Thank you very much.

The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan. Photo source: FB@Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan

Speech by DSJ at graduation ceremony of Legal Practical Training Course for Chinese Enterprises Going Overseas Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Speech by DSJ at graduation ceremony of Legal Practical Training Course for Chinese Enterprises Going Overseas Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Eight pieces of subsidiary legislation gazetted today to implement title registration system on new land

The Development Bureau (DEVB) gazetted eight pieces of subsidiary legislation today (October 16), proposing to make four new pieces of subsidiary legislation under the Land Titles Ordinance (Cap. 585) (LTO), and to amend four pieces of subsidiary legislation under the Land Registration Ordinance (Cap. 128) (LRO), the High Court Ordinance (Cap. 4) and the District Court Ordinance (Cap. 336), with a view to setting out implementation details for the title registration system to be implemented on new land in the first half of next year, and aligning certain practices under the current deeds registration system with the title registration system.

A spokesperson for the DEVB said, "The Registration of Titles and Land (Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2025 was passed by the Legislative Council (LegCo) in September last year to amend the LTO, which was enacted in 2004 but has not yet come into operation, so as to implement the title registration system on new land first. To facilitate the implementation of the title registration system in the first half of next year, the DEVB and the Land Registry (LR) immediately commenced preparatory work to implement the new system, including the drafting of relevant subsidiary legislation. Once the new legislation comes into operation, new land will be registered under the new system, whilst existing land under the LRO will continue to be governed by the current deeds registration system until it is converted to the title registration system."

"New land" refers to land held under a government lease granted on or after the date on which the amended Title Ordinance comes into operation. Generally speaking, this will include land granted on or after the operation date by way of land sale, by private treaty grant, and by land exchange.

The eight pieces of subsidiary legislation gazetted set out the operational details for the title registration system, including the requirements and procedures for applications for registration, and operational matters relating to the processing of the applications by the LR; the management of the Land Titles Indemnity Fund and the procedures for claiming indemnity; new fee items; the introduction of arrangements such as electronic applications under the current deeds registration system, bringing it in line with the title registration system; and matters relating to proceedings to be brought before the Court. These eight pieces of subsidiary legislation comprise:

• Land Titles Regulation;
• Land Titles Indemnity Regulation;
• Land Titles (Fees and Levies) Regulation;
• Land Titles (Determination of Indemnity Cap) Notice;
• Land Registration (Amendment) Regulation 2026;
• Land Registration Fees (Amendment) Regulation 2026;
• Rules of the High Court (Amendment) Rules 2026; and
• Rules of the District Court (Amendment) Rules 2026.

The spokesperson added, "Hong Kong is among the few economies that still run a deeds registration system. The implementation of the title registration system on new land will provide certainty in land ownership and simplify property transfer procedures, including eliminating the need to verify documents to confirm title during property transactions and the requirement to keep title deeds for many years. This will benefit the public and the business community, whilst bringing Hong Kong’s land registration system in line with other jurisdictions. The LR will continue to carry out publicity and education campaigns to ensure that the public and industry practitioners understand the detailed implementation arrangements under the new system."

The eight pieces of subsidiary legislation will be tabled at the LegCo next Wednesday (October 21) for negative vetting. Upon passage, certain provisions relating to electronic applications under the Land Registration (Amendment) Regulation 2026 and the Land Registration Fees (Amendment) Regulation 2026 will come into force on October 4, 2027, in tandem with the e-lodgement system. The amended LTO and other subsidiary legislation will come into operation on a date to be specified separately by the Secretary for Development in the first half of 2027.

Source: AI-found images