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2025
Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan today chaired the first meeting of the new term of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Task Force. The task force had an in-depth discussion on the policy measures set out in the Department of Justice's Action Plan on the Construction of Rule of Law in the GBA, and future key initiatives including the establishment of a panel of arbitrators to facilitate arbitrators from the three places in providing legal and dispute resolution services in the bay area as well as the setup of a platform to provide practical legal information on cross-boundary businesses and living. Mr Cheung emphasised that innovation is important in promoting the interfaces of mechanisms, regulatory frameworks and talent training among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, noting that it will further facilitate Hong Kong's integration into the overall development of the country and enhance the innovation capabilities and radiating effect of the GBA.
In support of National Security Education Day, the Fire Services Department will hold an open day at the Fire & Ambulance Services Academy in Tseung Kwan O on April 13. Citizens can apply for admission tickets from today until Wednesday. Activities will include an introduction to the department’s efforts in safeguarding national security, a fire appliances parade, firefighting and rescue demonstrations, and displays of training facilities, equipment and special vehicles. The event will also feature an exhibition on fire safety education, game booths, a recruitment area, and a demonstration involving Fire Services working dogs. The Fire & Ambulance Services Education Centre & Museum will also be open to the public on the day. The open day will be held from 9am to 5pm. People can apply for a maximum of four admission tickets by using the latest version of the Fire Services Department mobile application, which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store, Google Play or Huawei AppGallery for free. Tickets will be allocated by computer ballot and successful applicants will receive a notification through the mobile app this Thursday. Children aged three or below do not require a ticket. Call 2411 8773 for enquiries.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today sent a 51-strong team to Myanmar to assist in the search and rescue work in the earthquake-stricken areas. Chief Executive John Lee saw the search and rescue team off at Hong Kong International Airport. Led by Fire Services Department (FSD) Deputy Chief Fire Officer Cheu Yu-kok, the team comprises 40 FSD staff members, and officers from the Security Bureau, the Immigration Department and the Hospital Authority (HA). Apart from two search and rescue dogs, the team is also taking around nine tonnes of equipment, including life detectors and masonry cutting machines, an automatic satellite tracking antenna system for network connection, and team members’ daily necessities. Upon their arrival in Myanmar, the team will join local rescue teams to start search and rescue work. Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau, Director of Immigration Benson Kwok, Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung, and HA Chief Executive Dr Tony Ko were also present at the airport to show their support for the team.
The Judiciary announced that the Courts (Remote Hearing) Ordinance took effect upon gazettal today, providing a clear legal basis for judges and judicial officers to order remote hearings for court proceedings at various levels of courts and tribunals with due regard to the ordinance’s requirements. Noting that remote hearings are one of the key initiatives for enhancing the efficiency of court operations, the Judiciary said they save time for parties and participants such as witnesses to commute to law courts for attending court proceedings, thereby facilitating the listing of court proceedings. The initiative also facilitates the courts in tackling unforeseen circumstances where physical presence by parties may not be possible, the Judiciary added. Since 2020, over 2,100 remote hearings have been conducted at courts and tribunals, and the experience has been positive. The Judiciary will step up promotion for remote hearings and conduct them more often in suitable proceedings, particularly for short proceedings such as three-minute hearings and non-trial criminal proceedings. All court users are reminded that the ordinance has introduced new offences to criminalise the unauthorised recording, publishing and broadcast of proceedings in physical and remote hearings, which are liable to a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment and a fine of $100,000. The ordinance has also amended section 7 of the Summary Offences Ordinance to expand the coverage of the offence of taking photographs in courts to include making images or audio records of any court premises and any person on court premises. The maximum penalty is increased to one year's imprisonment and a fine of $50,000. While remote hearings are generally applicable to both civil proceedings and non-trial criminal proceedings, the Judiciary plans to start remote hearings for the latter in about six months' time to allow time for stakeholders to prepare. The Judiciary will issue directions by phases to specify the operational details of remote hearings, including the application procedures, guidelines and related issues.
The trustee of the charitable trust for the estate of the late Nina Wang has formed its board of governors, with five independent individuals and two government officials being appointed, the Department of Justice announced today. The members of the board of governors are Annie Tam, Rimsky Yuen, Clement Chan, Ronick Chan, Lam Ching-choi, Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui and Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak. The department said that under the supervision of the supervisory managing organisation (SMO), the board of governors will promptly commence preparatory work for administering the trust. This includes preparing for and fleshing out the details of a “fund and a Chinese prize of worldwide significance similar to that of the Nobel Prize” and other charitable projects. The trustee will in due course disclose the scheme of administration for the late Mrs Wang’s estate and other related information pursuant to the terms of the scheme and its Articles of Association. The department said it will continue to follow up on outstanding legal proceedings and related arrangements until the estate is fully vested in the trustee from the interim administrators. The trustee of the trust’s charitable estate is Nina Wang Charity Management. The three members of the SMO responsible for supervising the trustee’s operations are Rita Fan, Joseph Yam and Cheng Yan-kee.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam visited the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) today, following a tour of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) yesterday. Mr Lam attended a seminar of the National Prosecutors College under the SPP this morning and shared with the participants the work of the Department of Justice in prosecution and safeguarding public interests under the principle of "one country, two systems". He then had a working lunch with First Deputy Prosecutor General of the SPP Tong Jianming to learn more about the college's initiatives in nurturing high-level and high-quality prosecutorial talent in the country. In the afternoon, Mr Lam met SPP Prosecutor-General Ying Yong to exchange views on the strengthening of legal co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland, and issues of mutual concern. Yesterday, the Secretary for Justice attended an SPC foreign, Hong Kong and Macau-related seminar series, sharing with the participants the characteristics of Hong Kong's common law system under the "one country, two systems" principle and ways to leverage the advantages of its common law system in contributing to the country's high-quality development. At a meeting with SPC Vice-president Mao Zhonghua, issues including promoting the nurturing of the country's foreign-related legal talent were discussed. Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong after a meeting with SPC President Zhang Jun tomorrow.
The Immigration Department today announced that with effect from Monday, eligible Hong Kong permanent residents aged seven or above may use e-Channel services. At present, the age requirement for use of e-Channel services is 11. From March 31, Hong Kong permanent residents aged from seven to 10 years old will be able to use e-Channel services at all control points, without prior enrolment for self-service immigration clearance, provided they hold a smart identity card and a valid Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport and are at least 1.1m tall. For enquiries, call 2824 6111, fax 2877 7711, or send an email to [email protected].
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has denounced the UK’s “Six-monthly report on Hong Kong: July to December 2024”, stating that it contains the slanders and smears about various aspects of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government said it condemned and rejected the UK’s misleading and irresponsible remarks, which it labelled “despicable political maneouvres” intended to interfere in Hong Kong’s law-based governance. It added that the Sino-British Joint Declaration is about China’s resumption of sovereignty over Hong Kong, and that the UK has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or right of supervision over Hong Kong following the city’s return to the motherland. It urged the UK to discern facts from fallacies, respect international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and stop interfering in Hong Kong matters, stressing that these are purely China’s internal affairs. The Hong Kong SAR Government said the report contained “absurd and false contents” with regard to the laws safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong SAR. It outlined that the UK Government had vilified Hong Kong’s law enforcement agencies, and its prosecutorial and judicial authorities, in claiming that fulfillment of their duties constituted an “erosion of rights and freedoms”. It also emphasised that Hong Kong law enforcement agencies’ actions are evidence-based and are taken in strict accordance with the law in respect of acts committed by people or entities, having nothing to do with their political views, background or occupation. It added that any suggestion that certain individuals or organisations should be immune from legal consequences for their illegal acts totally runs contrary to the spirit of the rule of law. The statement highlighted that absconders hiding in the UK and other western countries are wanted and subject to arrest warrants issued by Hong Kong courts not because they “exercised freedom of expression”, but because they continue to blatantly engage in activities endangering national security. These activities include inciting secession and requesting that foreign countries engage in hostile activities against the Peoples Republic of China and the Hong Kong SAR. The statement outlined that it is therefore necessary to take all lawful measures, including “specified measures” under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, to combat acts of abscondment. Stressing that time was given for the absconders to return to Hong Kong to face law enforcement and legal proceedings before the measures were taken, the Hong Kong SAR Government said the absconders failed to do so. It added that all “specified measures”, including the cancellation of Hong Kong SAR passports, align with human rights requirements, and that countries such as the UK would impose the same measures on wanted criminals. It said that the UK had demonstrated hypocrisy and that its unwarranted and inappropriate comments on criminal proceedings which are ongoing in Hong Kong courts betrayed a complete disregard for the rule of law. Separately, the Hong Kong SAR Government said that non-referral of a prisoner who has committed an offence endangering national security to the Post-release Supervision Board is a preventive measure that does not of itself increase the prisoner’s sentence and should not be regarded as punishment. It explained that in deciding whether an early release would be contrary to the interests of national security, the Commissioner of Correctional Services will carry out his duties in strict accordance with the law and deal with every case fairly and impartially. The Hong Kong SAR Government underscored that the rule of law in Hong Kong is strong and robust and can stand the test of time, adding that the city’s common law system will not be changed because of the departure of individual overseas non-permanent judges. It also stressed that the mechanisms for safeguarding national security in the city do not undermine independent judicial power, and that the city’s judicial system continues to be protected by the Basic Law. It said that when adjudicating cases concerning offences endangering national security, as in any other cases, judges remain independent, impartial and free from any interference in performing their judicial duties.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam will depart for a three-day visit to Beijing tomorrow and return to Hong Kong on Saturday. Upon arrival in the capital, Mr Lam will call on the Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office of the State Council to report on the developments of the Department of Justice's major policy initiatives. He will also join an exchange session at the Supreme People's Court and a seminar at the Supreme People's Procuratorate during the trip. Additionally, he will meet senior officials and representatives of the authorities to exchange views on Hong Kong's common law system under the principle of “one country, two systems” and other relevant topics. During Mr Lam’s absence, Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan will be Acting Secretary.
The Judiciary today launched a LinkedIn page with the aim of fostering professional understanding and enhancing transparency with regard to its work, both locally and internationally. On the platform, the Judiciary will share updates on significant court judgments, major professional exchanges with other jurisdictions, key events, and important initiatives.