To consolidate Hong Kong's strategic position as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific under the National 14th Five Year Plan, the Department of Justice (DoJ) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) are organising the Resolve2Win - Legal Services of Hong Kong, Opportunities for All campaign (Resolve2Win). The signature promotion in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) for Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution services debuted with a delegation visit to Bangkok, Thailand on 15 to 17 March. Mr Horace Cheung, Deputy Secretary for Justice, led nearly 30 representatives from Hong Kong's legal sector in face-to-face talks with Thai legal and business representatives to promote the advantages of Hong Kong legal services, encourage collaboration between Hong Kong and Thailand and seize opportunities in the region.Encouraging Thai businesses to choose Hong Kong as a platform
The promotion visit aimed to let Thai businesses understand the unique advantages of Hong Kong legal services more comprehensively, raising awareness on resolving commercial disputes through arbitration and mediation, while encouraging them to choose Hong Kong as their preferred trade and dispute resolution platform and help Hong Kong legal professionals seize opportunities and develop business in Thailand. Legal groups from Hong Kong and Thailand responded proactively. The Hong Kong Bar Association, Law Society of Hong Kong, Thailand Arbitration Center and Thai Branch of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators are supporting organisations.
At the plenary session - Hong Kong as a Deal Making and Dispute Resolution Hub - Mr Cheung and Dr Patrick Lau, Deputy Executive Director of the HKTDC, were officiating guests. In his welcome remarks, Dr Lau said: "Hong Kong has a large, well-established legal sector full of professionals well-versed in legal systems across the world, making the city the perfect choice for anyone seeking legal services. As business links grow between ASEAN countries and Mainland China, particularly the Greater Bay Area, disputes are bound to arise. All parties would agree that arbitration and mediation is a better approach than litigation. In today's forum, we will find out how businesses in Thailand, ASEAN and Mainland China can use Hong Kong as a dispute-resolution platform."
Highlighting the unique opportunities offered by Hong Kong as the only common law jurisdiction within China under "one country, two systems", Mr Cheung pointed out that national strategies - including the 14th Five-Year Plan, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Development and the Belt and Road Initiative - had injected continuous impetus to the growth of Hong Kong and brought opportunities to ASEAN member states.
He further said that as the leading legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia-Pacific, Hong Kong had a strong pool of legal talents, particularly in dispute resolution services. He encouraged enterprises and talents to capitalise on Hong Kong's unique advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under "one country, two systems" to tap into development opportunities in the GBA and beyond.
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