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Capitalising on Hong Kong's robust legal system and legal infrastructure, it was the steadfast policy of the Hong Kong SAR Government, and one of the key priorities of the Department of Justice, to promote Hong Kong as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Rimsky Yuen, SC, said in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam today (February 20).
Mr Yuen was addressing a seminar entitled "Hong Kong - An International Hub for Legal & Arbitration Services" this morning. The seminar, jointly organised by the HKSAR Government and Hong Kong Trade Development Council, was attended by more than 200 business and professional leaders from Vietnam and Hong Kong.
Mr Yuen pointed out that a number of features have made Hong Kong an ideal neutral venue for international legal and arbitration services to Vietnamese businesses. The features include Hong Kong's robust legal system, a strong legal profession, independent Judiciary, user-friendly arbitration legislation, effective enforcement of awards made in Hong Kong, and the availability of a diverse pool of international arbitrators as well as the presence of world class arbitration institutions.
"Hong Kong will continue to ensure that our legal infrastructure will stay at the forefront of international development so as to maintain and enhance our status as a leading centre for international legal and dispute resolution services.
"It will be in our mutual interest to enhance co-operation between Hong Kong and Vietnam in the context of international legal and dispute resolution services, and I very much look forward to more dialogues and exchanges between the two places," Mr Yuen said.
Mr Yuen was leading a delegation of more than 20 professionals of the legal and arbitration community to Vietnam and Cambodia from February 19 to 21 to promote Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution services.
The delegation includes representatives of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (Asia Office), the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission Hong Kong Arbitration Center, the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators, the Hong Kong Bar Association and the Law Society of Hong Kong.
Mr Yuen and the delegation arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, this evening and met with the Minister of Justice, Mr Ang Vong Vathana, to discuss issues of mutual interest.
Mr Yuen will attend another seminar on Hong Kong's legal and arbitration services tomorrow (February 21). He will also attend a gathering with a group of Hong Kong people living and working in Cambodia before returning to Hong Kong in the evening.
Ends/Thursday, February 20, 2014
Issued at HKT 21:35
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