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Led by Vice Chancellor Professor Lap-Chee Tsui, a distinguished delegation from the University of Hong Kong visited San Francisco today (April 30, US Time) to brief Bay Area audience on "One Country, Two Systems" and the changing role of the University of Hong Kong's Law School since 1960s. More than 80 professionals, business leaders, superior court judges, attorneys at law and the media joined the luncheon, jointly organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco, Hong Kong Association of Northern California and Hong Kong University Alumni Association of Northern California.
Professor Tsui said that the objective of the visit was to enhance cooperation and strengthen ties between the University of Hong Kong and various universities in North America. While in California, the delegation visited University of California, Berkeley; University of California, Los Angeles; University of California, San Diego; University of California, San Francisco; California Institute of Technology, and Stanford University. They will also visit University of British Columbia in Vancouver before heading back to Hong Kong.
At the luncheon, Professor Johannes Chan, Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong, spoke on "From Colony to SAR: The Changing Role of the Law School". Prof. Chan elaborated on the drafting of the Basic Law, the unique system of "One Country, Two Systems" and the development of Hong Kong's legal and judicial systems throughout the years. He said Hong Kong's strategic position between the East and the West fosters understanding among different cultures and legal systems and under "One Country, Two Systems" Hong Kong has a living constitutional environment with an independent judiciary and free access to information.
Echoing Prof Chan, Ms Doris Cheung, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco, said "Our achievements in the past decade fully demonstrate that the novel concept of 'One Country, Two Systems' has been successfully implemented in Hong Kong. All the rights and freedoms that Hong Kong people cherished have been preserved and are underpinned by the Basic Law."
The delegation includes Professor Lap-Chee Tsui, Vice Chancellor; Professor Paul Tam, Pro Vice Chancellor and Chair of Paediatric Surgery; Professor John Malpas, Pro Vice Chancellor; Professor Johannes Chan, Dean, Faculty of Law; Professor Sun Kwok, Dean, Faculty of Science; Professor J.S.M. Peiris, Chair Professor in Microbiology; Ms Isabella Wong, Director of Academic Liaison Section; Ms Leslie Tam, Executive Officer of the Academic Liaison Section; and Ms Janet Chung, Director of Alumni Affairs.
Ends/Thursday, May 1, 2008
Issued at HKT 20:04
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