Mr Yuen started the day by meeting with the Vice President of the Austrian Federal Bar Association, Dr Marcella Prunbauer-Glaser. He updated Dr Prunbauer-Glaser on the latest development of the arbitration and mediation landscape in Hong Kong. He stressed that Hong Kong has a long-standing policy of promoting dispute resolution services and encouraging the use of other dispute resolution methods, including arbitration and mediation, to resolve civil and commercial disputes. Mr Yuen said both sides should enhance legal co-operation and exchanges in particular among legal profession bodies.
Mr Yuen also called on the Secretary General of the Federal Ministry of Justice of Austria, Mr Georg Stawa, to exchange views on issues of mutual concern. Both explored the opportunities to enhance legal co-operation, including mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, between the two places.
Mr Yuen then visited the Vienna International Arbitral Centre and met with its President, Dr Günther Horvath. Mr Yuen told Dr Horvath that given the growth of international trade activities and the interest shown by many Central and Eastern European economies in taking part in the Belt and Road Initiative, there is a lot of potential for co-operation on matters relating to arbitration services between Austria and Hong Kong.
Mr Yuen also took the opportunity to pay a courtesy call on the Chinese Ambassador to Austria, Mr Li Xiaosi.
Mr Yuen will attend the Congress hosted by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) tomorrow (July 4, Vienna time) and give a keynote speech at the session on "Creative international law-making in the international trade law context".
Ends/Monday, Jul 03, 2017
