
With a top quality legal profession comprising local and international law firms, an independent judiciary and modern legal infrastructure, Hong Kong is well placed to be the regional hub for legal services.
This was the message from Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen, speaking at the Hague Conference in the Netherlands today.
Mr Yuen said Hong Kong for years has been, and will remain, a cosmopolitan and international city, and is internationally known for its commitment to the rule of law and its independent judiciary.
"As confirmed in our Chief Executive's latest Policy Address, it is our Government's policy to enhance Hong Kong's status as a regional hub for legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia Pacific region.
"Such policy and attributes of Hong Kong would be of considerable value in assisting the Asia Pacific Regional Office of the Hague Conference, which was set up in Hong Kong last December, in the performance of its function and fulfilment of its objective of harmonising private international law."
Mr Yuen said the Hague Conference has become a global forum representative of the international community in all important aspects concerning private international law.
The establishment of the Asia Pacific Regional Office in Hong Kong is a logical and desirable development in the history of the Hague Conference, he added.
Noting there are vast diversities among the jurisdictions within the Asia Pacific region, Mr Yuen said the Hague Conventions, which bridge different cultures and legal traditions, are very useful in providing a common framework for legal co-operation.
Upon his arrival in the Hague yesterday, Mr Yuen met a group of Hong Kong students studying in the Netherlands, and briefed them on Hong Kong's latest developments.
He also met with Hague Conference Secretary General Hans van Loon, and visited the Permanent Court of Arbitration today.
He will call on the Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands Chen Xu before returning to Hong Kong tomorrow.