The Police announced today (November 3) that special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Central and Wan Chai from November 4 to 8 to facilitate the holding of a triathlon event. Members of the public are urged to … read more
Following are the welcome remarks by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at Hong Kong Legal Week 2026: 3rd Asia-Pacific International Private Law Summit today (November 3):
President Moavero-Milanesi (President of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), Professor Enzo Moavero-Milanesi), Professor Tirado (Secretary-General of UNIDROIT, Professor Ignacio Tirado), Consuls-General, your Excellency, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
A very good morning. Welcome to the 3rd Asia-Pacific International Private Law Summit on this second day of the Hong Kong Legal Week. Building on the successful conclusion of the UNIDROIT Centenary: Regional Conference (UNIDROIT Centenary: Regional Conference for the Asia-Pacific and Opening Ceremony of the Asia-Pacific Liaison Office) yesterday, we now move on to the 3rd Asia-Pacific International Private Law Summit.
From legacy to the future
Since 2022, the Department of Justice (DoJ) has successfully partnered with UNIDROIT in the organisation of the Asia-Pacific International Private Law Summit. This biennial Summit has become a flagship event of the Hong Kong Legal Week, welcoming hundreds of local and foreign distinguished guests like yourselves to gather and exchange regional perspectives on pertinent international private law issues. This year, more than 600 people from over 40 jurisdictions have registered to attend this Summit, most of whom and some of you are physically with us here today.
This Summit arrives at a momentous juncture in the history of international private law. Yesterday, we celebrated a century of UNIDROIT’s achievements in harmonising and modernising private law to build bridges across legal traditions, and looked at the significance of UNIDROIT’s work in the Asia-Pacific in supporting a more open, resilient and prosperous region. Building upon yesterday’s reflections on UNIDROIT’s enduring legacy and future work in the Asia-Pacific region, today, we will dive deeper into international private laws for defining priorities of the region under the theme “Advancing Future-Ready Legal Infrastructure to Foster Digital Innovation, Sustainable Growth and Regional Connectivity in the Asia-Pacific”. The Asia-Pacific region is uniquely distinguished by its diverse legal traditions, economic dynamism and deepening connectivity. It is also the world’s fastest growing region, driven by technology, innovation and the rise of new markets. Digital innovation, sustainable growth, and regional connectivity are undoubtedly the engines of economic prosperity of the region. To turn these visions into reality, sound legal infrastructure is indispensable. In this Summit, we will explore how transnational commercial law may be harnessed to address emerging challenges for the Asia-Pacific region, as well as to support the region’s next chapter of growth, connectivity and prosperity.
Digital innovation and sustainable growth
Before we start our panel discussion, I wish to share a few of Hong Kong’s recent policy initiatives that are closely relevant to our panel discussion later today.
The first panel today will explore the role of transnational law instruments for digital innovation and sustainable investment in shaping tomorrow’s markets, which is very relevant to Hong Kong. Hong Kong is committed to promoting artificial intelligence as a core industry for Hong Kong’s future development and empowering different sectors of the economy through AI technology. With a view to enabling innovation while safeguarding the legitimate interests of stakeholders against the potential risks arising from the use of AI, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has set up the Inter-Departmental Working Group to Review Legislation to Support Wider Application of AI, led by the DoJ. This review exercise is to ensure that our laws are at pace with rapid technological transformations arising from AI. Another relevant area is digital assets. It is one of the key policy objectives of Hong Kong to become a leading hub for digital assets. To achieve this objective, we will establish a world‑leading licensing and regulatory regime for digital assets, as guided by the principle of “same activity, same risks, same regulation”, to improve their liquidity and promote market innovation.
The development of green and sustainable finance is also one of our major objectives in the coming years, and we have concrete plans to advance the development of an international carbon market to channel funds into sustainable investment.
Secured financing and regional connectivity in trade and investment
Furthermore, Hong Kong is an international financial centre with a robust legal system underpinned by a deeply entrenched rule of law tradition, a sophisticated bilingual common law system, an independent judiciary enjoying the power of final adjudication and a large pool of international legal talent. Our robust system fosters a predictable and rule-based environment that facilitates cross-border trade and investments. These unique advantages, reinforced by our deep integration with the Chinese Mainland, strategically position Hong Kong as a “super-connector” and “super value-adder” for legal and economic collaboration at the heart of the Asia-Pacific region, linking diverse economies, legal systems and commercial markets. All these attributes could contribute significantly to trade finance and regional connectivity which will be discussed by the second and third panels today.
Hong Kong is also home to many world-class financial and dispute resolution institutions. Hong Kong offers comprehensive arbitration and mediation services backed by exceptional cross-border enforceability. Hong Kong will continue to enhance its already diversified and high-level dispute resolution services.
Emerging as a Global Capital of Mediation with the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation last year, we will implement reforms to the mediation regulatory system to provide more international, inclusive and professional mediation services.
Moreover, as the most preferred seat for arbitration in the Asia-Pacific region, Hong Kong will continue to develop its successful and widely trusted arbitration ecosystem of world-renowned arbitral institutions, a deep pool of highly experienced arbitrators and a globally recognised arbitration framework. We will implement a range of arbitration law reforms and enhance promotion of arbitration services in specific fields such as maritime, IP (intellectual property) and sports.
Strengthening regional co-operation and capacity building
In addition to being an international legal and dispute resolution services centre, Hong Kong is a hub for capacity building. Hong Kong serves as a regional platform for legal exchanges and training, fostering greater certainty, consistency and a coherent understanding of international commercial law. In November 2024, we launched the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy to consolidate Hong Kong’s status as a capacity-building hub. Since its launch, the Academy has actively collaborated with about 30 international organisations (including UNIDROIT), central authorities and professional bodies, in delivering capacity-building programmes in Hong Kong and beyond for more than 5 000 participants worldwide. We will continue to develop Hong Kong into a leading hub for the training, exchanges and pooling of high-calibre legal talent in the region.
This Summit is one of our flagship capacity-building events, organised in partnership with UNIDROIT and the Academy. The Summit provides a platform for open exchanges on issues of pressing importance for the region, which would enable us to identify concrete areas for collaboration and implementation. The Summit also represents Hong Kong’s unwavering commitment to building a well-connected, rule-based region and deepening collaboration with our partners towards a brighter, more connected future for the Asia-Pacific region. We trust that the arrival of the liaison office will bring synergy to our joint efforts in fostering legal co-operation and capacity building in the Asia-Pacific region, and in this connection, I very much look forward to the discussions in the last panel.
On this note, I look forward to our exchanges today and wish the Summit a resounding success. To our distinguished guests from overseas, I hope you enjoy a most memorable and fruitful stay in Hong Kong.
Thank you very much. read more
The Department of Justice (DoJ) officially launched the Funding Scheme for LawTech Solution Subscription by the Hong Kong Legal Sector (Scheme) today (November 3). The Scheme aims to encourage the Hong Kong legal sector to enhance their capability to adopt lawtech to fortify Hong Kong’s status as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre. Eligible applicants can now apply to the Hong Kong Bar Association and the Law Society of Hong Kong for funding. The deadline for application is January 29, 2027.
The Scheme, launched by the DoJ, is a policy initiative under the Chief Executive’s 2026 Policy Address. The Scheme will be managed by the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Bar Association, including approving applications and releasing funding. Sole practitioners or Hong Kong law firms with no more than five partners, and barristers with no more than seven years of call are eligible for application.
Eligible applicants can select suitable services from the designated list of lawtech service providers. The list covers a variety of lawtech services provided by 14 local, Chinese Mainland and overseas service providers, including legal research, document generation and drafting, workflow management and hearing support. The Scheme operates on an actual-expense reimbursement basis, providing funding for each eligible applicant up to $20,000 for a one-year subscription of the services.
The application process is simple and consists of four steps:
(1) Eligible applicants select a service provider from the list and obtain a written price quotation;
(2) Eligible applicants submit their applications to their respective legal professional bodies (i.e. the Hong Kong Bar Association or the Law Society of Hong Kong);
(3) The relevant legal professional body will notify the applicants of the result in writing. Upon receiving the approval notification, the applicant can subscribe to the selected designated service; and
(4) Eligible applicants submit proof of subscription and payment to their respective legal professional bodies to apply for reimbursement.
To ensure the effectiveness of the Scheme, lawtech service providers under the Scheme will provide transparent price lists, as well as ongoing technical support and training.
The Deputy Secretary for Justice and Chairman of the Consultation Group on LawTech Development, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, said that promoting the use of lawtech is a key policy initiative of the DoJ. Since last year, the DoJ has hosted five rounds of the LexGoTech Roundtables, receiving extensive feedback from the sector, academics, and the relevant stakeholders regarding the adoption of lawtech and the development of the legal sector. Furthermore, the DoJ notes that small and medium-sized law firms, as well as junior barristers, are particularly concerned about the financial burden of adopting lawtech tools. The Scheme is launched to respond to the needs of the sector.
Noting that small and medium-sized law firms currently account for about 88 per cent of all Hong Kong law firms, while barristers with less than seven years of call make up about one-third of the total practicing barristers, Dr Cheung said that the Scheme will help lower the barrier for them to adopt lawtech, thereby enhancing the overall competitiveness of Hong Kong’s legal sector.
Dr Cheung added that the Hong Kong LawTech Fest 2026 will be held during the Hong Kong Legal Week 2026 (November 4 to 6). Designated service providers under the Scheme will participate in the LawTech Exhibition and conduct live demonstrations at the Insight Stage. He urged members of the sector to register for and attend the Hong Kong LawTech Fest 2026 to learn about the practical applications of lawtech.
Relevant information, including Scheme details and application guidelines, has been uploaded to the dedicated webpages of the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Bar Association. Interested applicants are welcome to browse the webpages. read more
The Central People’s Government announced today (November 3) that in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People’s Republic of China and upon the recommendation by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR, Mr John Lee, it has approved the removal of Ms Winnie Ho Wing-yin from the post of Secretary for Housing.
The Chief Executive said, “Ms Ho tendered her resignation to me on October 28, and indicated that she would shoulder the political accountability of the Wang Fuk Court fire. Ms Ho joined the Government in 1992 and became Director of Architectural Services in 2020. She was appointed Secretary for Housing in 2022 and became a Principal Official of the sixth term of the HKSAR Government. She was dedicated to implementing the Chief Executive’s directives, including constructing some 30 000 Light Public Housing units, shortening the Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing from 6.1 years to 4.8 years, effectively combating the abuse of public rental housing and enacting the Basic Housing Units Ordinance to eradicate substandard subdivided units in residential buildings in an orderly manner. As she officially leaves her post today, I wish her all the best in her future endeavours and a healthy life.” read more
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, at the Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK 2026 today (November 3):
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. Welcome to day two of the Hong Kong FinTech Week and StartmeupHK 2026. It is my honour to join you all at this premier platform for innovation, technology and partnership today.
As you would all probably agree, translating innovation into business success has become more challenging amid geopolitical complexities, inflationary pressures and global economic uncertainty. To navigate these challenges, companies need a trusted platform, a reliable international hub and world-class professional services to chart their course and expand into new markets. These are exactly the distinctive strengths that Hong Kong offers.
Hong Kong is the freest economy, the largest financial centre in the Asia-Pacific, and one of the most competitive economies in the world. Leveraging our unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle, businesses can benefit from a low and simple tax regime, comprehensive professional services, and global connectivity, as well as convenient access to both the Chinese Mainland and international markets.
These advantages are set to be further strengthened by Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan. The Plan marks a significant step in mapping out the city’s development priorities and provides the business community with greater certainty and a clearer strategic direction for further growth.
As set out in the Five-Year Plan, supporting Chinese Mainland enterprises’ overseas expansion via Hong Kong is one of our priorities. This initiative is not just about the success stories of enterprises from the Chinese Mainland or Hong Kong, but also about creating job opportunities and direct investment for overseas economies, forging a “triple-win” situation and enhancing regional co-operation.
In October 2025, I set up the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global (GoGlobal Task Force) to support Mainland enterprises in expanding their overseas operations by leveraging Hong Kong’s professional services, international talent and extensive global network.
Since its establishment, the GoGlobal Task Force has assisted more than 360 Chinese Mainland enterprises in setting up or expanding their businesses in Hong Kong. Just like today’s participants, many of them are innovation and technology (I&T) companies, fintech firms and start-ups.
The GoGlobal Task Force also established a Cross-sectoral Professional Services Platform, through which we connect Hong Kong professional service providers across eight sectors, including financial, legal, accounting, and testing and certification services, with Chinese Mainland enterprises. The platform helps these enterprises access the expertise and resources, enhance corporate governance and meet international standards as they expand overseas.
We also led high-level delegations to connect enterprises with overseas markets and business partners. In June this year, the Chief Executive led a delegation including some 30 Chinese Mainland business delegates to explore the emerging markets of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, resulting in fruitful outcomes of 96 co-operation agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), with a total value of over US$1.65 billion. Some of the Chinese Mainland delegates have successfully connected with local partners for collaborative projects and commenced their expansion plans in Central Asia.
In August this year, I also led a Chinese Mainland business delegation to Kuala Lumpur to explore opportunities in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), facilitating the signing of MOUs between delegation members and local enterprises and chambers of commerce.
Going forward, we will further strengthen the work of the GoGlobal Task Force. As announced in the 2026 Policy Address, we will deepen collaboration with trade associations and professional bodies, adding ESG (environmental, social and governance) services as the ninth service category to the Cross-sectoral Professional Services Platform, and enhancing the platform’s matching and case-tracking capabilities.
Apart from Finance+ and AI+, global expansion is also one of the themes of this year’s FinTech Week. In fact, the Government is expanding Hong Kong’s network of free trade agreements and investment agreements to support Hong Kong enterprises and investors in overseas market expansion. For instance, our free trade agreement (FTA) with Peru entered into force this September. We will continue to explore opportunities for new FTAs with other economies.
On investment agreements, following the recent signing of an agreement with Bangladesh, we are working towards signing agreements with Qatar and Peru, negotiating new investment agreements with Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and exploring new investment agreements with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
To complement these agreements, we are also strengthening the network of overseas Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs). With the new Kuala Lumpur ETO in operation now, our four ASEAN-based ETOs will deepen trade and investment promotion across the region. We are also exploring the establishment of a new ETO in Kazakhstan to strengthen our economic ties with Central Asia.
In addition, we are actively pursuing Hong Kong’s early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Following the recent decision to establish an Accession Working Group for applicant economies, including Hong Kong, the Government will actively participate in the upcoming accession negotiations.
Our international partnership goes beyond RCEP. Last month, Hong Kong hosted the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Finance Ministers’ Meeting for the first time. The meeting brought together hundreds of finance ministers and senior officials for exchanges on financial and economic co-operation, reaffirming Hong Kong’s unique role as an international financial centre through APEC China 2026.
As we strengthen our international connections, we are also stepping up economic and trade co-operation with the Chinese Mainland. We are pursuing the comprehensive upgrade of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) with the Ministry of Commerce, with a view to deepening co-operation with the Chinese Mainland services sector, as well as further expanding market access to the Chinese Mainland. CEPA is nationality-neutral and overseas investors are welcome to leverage CEPA to access the huge Chinese Mainland market through Hong Kong.
Moreover, the Government is accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis. Through developments such as the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park, the San Tin Technopole and the Loop, the Northern Metropolis will provide new land and development space for emerging industries, including I&T and fintech. With its strategic location neighbouring Shenzhen, there will also be immense opportunities to tap into the economic development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. We encourage investors to set a foothold in this new engine for Hong Kong’s economic development.
Ladies and gentlemen, the initiatives I have outlined share a common purpose: to enhance Hong Kong’s business environment and strengthen its position as an international platform, making it an ideal launchpad for global businesses to thrive and expand. If you are seeking to turn your entrepreneurial ambition into success, I encourage you to leverage today’s event to explore new opportunities, exchange ideas and build connections that will fuel your company’s next stage of growth.
Lastly, I encourage all eligible voters in the 2026 Election Committee Subsector Ordinary Elections to cast their votes on November 22. I sincerely hope that elected members will actively engage with their sectors, offer views and suggestions, and help the industries seize the opportunities arising from the Five-Year Plan.
Thank you and I hope you enjoy the event today. read more