Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen today met legal and judicial officials in Beijing to enhance co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong.

Mr Yuen met the Supreme People's Court President Zhou Qiang, the Supreme People's Procuratorate Procurator-General Cao Jianming, and the Public Security Vice Minister Chen Zhimin.

Mr Yuen told Mr Zhou of the Department of Justice’s policy to enhance Hong Kong's status as the legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia Pacific region. They also discussed mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters.

Mr Yuen updated Mr Cao on the department’s latest developments in prosecution work, adding Hong Kong has been co-operating closely with the Mainland and other jurisdictions to combat cross-boundary crime.

Mr Yuen held talks with Mr Chen on criminal judicial co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong.

He will attend the Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group Conference 2013 opening ceremony tomorrow, and will deliver a speech on the development of arbitration and its current practice in Hong Kong.