7 December, 2015
--Jasmine Lin

Led by Justice HE Rong, Vice President of the Supreme People’s Court of the PRC, the delegation of the Supreme People’s Court of the PRC and the China National Judges College visited the School of Law, City University of Hong Kong on 25th and 26th November 2015. The other three members of the delegation are: Prof. HUANG Yongwei, President of the National Judges College, Mr. XU Jijun, Director of the General Office of the National Judges College, and Judge SI Yanli, Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affair Office, the Supreme People’s Court of the PRC.

The National Judges College and the Centre for Judicial Education and Research, City University of Hong Kong have agreed that the two institutes shall deepen the cooperation on providing training programmes for judges from the Mainland. Training agreements have been signed for the following three programmes, including the Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD) Programme for Chinese Senior Judges, the Master of Laws Programme for Chinese Judges, and the Advanced Programme for Chinese Senior Judges.

In the afternoon of 25th November, Prof. HUANG Yongwei and Mr. XU Jijun held a meeting together with Prof. LIN Feng, Director of the Centre for Judicial Education and Research, City University of Hong Kong and other members of the Centre, including Dr. CHEN Lei, Associate Dean of School of Law, City University of Hong Kong; Dr. GUAN Wenwei, Programme Leader for JSD Programme, School of Law, City University of Hong Kong and Dr. John HO, Associate Professor of School of Law, City University of Hong Kong. Prof. LIN pointed out that rather than limiting the cooperation to providing training programmes to Chinese judges, the two institutes should explore the possibility to expand the cooperation to academic research. He proposed that the research focuses could be targeted at the judicial reform in the Mainland, jurisdiction and dispute resolution in the “One Belt and One Road” Initiative and comparative research on case law. Prof. HUANG was very supportive and willing to provide a platform for such cooperation. He suggested that the cooperation on academic research could be conducted in the form of seminars and publications. He cordially welcomed the participation of the scholars of the School of Law in conferences held in the Mainland, so that they could keep pace with the latest legal trend in China. Dr. CHEN said having the knowledge of laws of various Asian countries was the strength of the School. We should strive to gain influential academic achievements by drawing on the School’s strength and the resource of the National Judges College.

In the evening the same day, Justice HE Rong delivered a speech in the City University Distinguished Lecture Series. Guests attending the lecture including Ms Winnie TAM SC, Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association; Ms. Melissa K. PANG, Vice President of the Law Society of Hong Kong; Dr. LIU Xinkui, Director-General of the Legal Affairs Department, Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; Mr. DU Chun, General Manager of China Legal Service (H.K.) Ltd; Prof. HUANG Yongwei; Mr. Adrian FU, Founder of Fu Tak Iam Foundation Ltd; Rick TANG, Member of Board of Trustees, Fu Tak Iam Foundation Ltd; Prof. Way KUO, President and University Distinguished Professor of City University of Hong Kong; Prof. Paul K S LAM, Chief-of-Staff, City University of Hong Kong; Professor Linda Che-lan LI, Associate Provost (Strategic Planning), City University of Hong Kong; Prof. Geraint HOWELLS, Dean of School of Law, City University of Hong Kong; Prof. LIN Feng; ?Prof. WANG Guiguo, Former Director of the Centre for Judicial Education and Research, City University of Hong Kong. Many CityU staff and students also actively participated in the lecture.

Justice HE expressed her views and suggestions on the following three topics in the lecture:

First of all, she noted that cultivating international legal talents would be the priority when it comes to the process of internationalization of the rule of law of China. Hong Kong is not only an important participant but also an indispensable propeller in that process. Justice He also spoke highly of the training programmes jointly provide by the National Judges College and the CityU, regarding it as a win-win cooperation.

Secondly, she pointed out that Hong Kong and the Mainland should work closely under the “One Belt One Road” Initiative and on the legal research and the feasibility study for regulating investments inside and outside China. Through cooperation, according to Justice HE, Hong Kong and the Mainland can jointly carry out research of the leading-edge theory on foreign business and maritime laws, enhance the ability to correctly apply international laws and foreign laws, and establish a regional dispute settlement centre with global influence.

Last but not least, Justice HE thought the process of digitization of all court judgements in China could facilitate the judicial cooperation and legal research between Hong Kong and the Mainland. The process has given more efficiency to trail management and expanded space for cooperation between the two regions.?