Cooperation with Mainland Justice Bureaux and Department

The DoJ has entered into Legal Services Cooperation Agreements with the following Justice Departments/Bureaux to foster cooperation on legal matters -

1. Qingdao (in September 2002);
2. Chongqing (in December 2002);
3. Beijing (in October 2003);
4. Nanjing (in December 2003);
5. Shanghai (in December 2003); (in August 2018);
6. Zhejiang (in January 2004); and
7. Shenzhen (in June 2004)

On 13 December 2004, the DoJ signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Legal Services with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to follow-up on the implementation of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) and to promote closer cooperation between the legal services sector of Hong Kong and the Mainland.

Pursuant to the above-mentioned Cooperation Agreements and Memorandum, the DoJ and the relevant parties would exchange information on the legal system and legal professions. The DoJ and the Justice Departments/Bureaux concerned would also provide training opportunities to relevant officials to enhance mutual understanding of each other's legal system and practices. The Cooperation Agreements also provide channels whereby technical and procedural problems arising from the implementation of CEPA in the relevant provinces or municipalities could be addressed.

On 7 January 2019, the DoJ signed a record of meeting with the MoJ on further enhancement of cooperation in legal services between the two places. Details of the record of meeting can be found here.

Cooperation with the Shenzhen Municipal Government

In October 2017, the DoJ and the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government renewed the "Cooperative Arrangement on Legal Matters", with a view to continuing the effective platform and exchange mechanism for cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen in the following areas:

• communication of major legal issues relevant to the other side
• providing legal information and reference materials to the other side which are relevant to its law making process
• timely communication and exchange on legal issues relating to Hong Kong-Shenzhen cooperative projects
• mutual exchange and visits between the two places, as well as providing training opportunities to officials of the other side

Both sides first signed the “Cooperative Arrangement on Legal Matters” in 2011 for a term of 5 years.

For cooperation in the context of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area, please visit here.

Cooperation with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade

In October 2010, the Cooperation Arrangement on Legal Services for Commercial Matters and Arbitration was signed between the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the DoJ. The parties to the Arrangement agreed to enhance cooperation on legal and arbitration services of the following areas :

• fostering exchanges and cooperation between Hong Kong and Mainland legal services and arbitration bodies
• strengthening exchange of information and collaboration in organising conferences on legal services and related activities
• facilitating training in commercial and arbitration law so as to encourage better risk management by enterprises and effective use of dispute resolution mechanisms for commercial matters
• promoting cooperation and exchanges between legal departments under the CPPIT and related bodies in Hong Kong in arbitration and mediation, etc.

Exchanges and visits between legal personnel of Mainland and Hong Kong

Other than holding conferences and seminars in the Mainland, the DoJ also arranges legal personnel from the Mainland to undertake training in Hong Kong to familiarise themselves with the common law system. The programmes include -

1. common law training; and
2. short term attachment.
   
   The details of these programmes can be found in the following webpage:-"Training in Common Law for Mainland Legal Officials"
3. Mutual visits and exchange activities
   Mutual visits between officials of the DoJ and the Mainland authorities take place regularly for the purpose of keeping abreast of each other’s legal development and fostering greater Cooperation between the legal officials and professions of both sides.

Attachment for Hong Kong law students in the Mainland

Since 2015, the DoJ has been operating the Summer Attachment Programme for Hong Kong Law Students in the Mainland. Under the programme, DoJ's summer interns, after their local placement, will be attached to relevant legal, executive or judicial organs or other organisations in the Mainland. These include, for example, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission etc.

The programme gives an opportunity for Hong Kong law students to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the Mainland legal system, to gain working experience and to broaden their horizons.

This part of the web page provides a collection of links to Mainland web sites which may be of interest to readers wishing to further explore issues relating to Mainland laws. The majority of the links are available in Chinese only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the English translations which are for reference and identification only. The links from this website are to sites over which the Department of Justice exercises no control, and the Department therefore assumes no responsibility for the contents of these sites.