City University of Hong Kong's School of Law (SLW) played host to the second WTO ambassador to visit the School this year when Ambassador Dr Toufiq Ali, Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the WTO, called on the School on 12 February. "It's a good experience to visit Hong Kong where I can look at how people have adjusted to the new situation in Hong Kong and China from an economic perspective," said Ambassador Ali, who currently chairs the WTO's Committee on Trade and Development.

 

 

 

Ambassador Ali was greeted by SLW Chair Professor Peter Malanczuk, Director of the School's WTO Law and Dispute Resolution Centre (WTODR Centre), SLW lecturers Mr Raj Kumar and Mr Zhao Yun, SLW Academic Visitor Ms Louise Barrington, and Centre Visitors Mr Kim van der Borght, and Professor Rao Geping, all members of the WTODR Centre.

 

Following a discussion on trade and development in the context of the WTO, Professor Malanczuk introduced Ambassador Ali to the mission and objectives of the WTODR Centre, which was established in January 2002. It is the first university based centre in the region dedicated to the study of the interaction amongst globalization, legal development and international dispute resolution mechanisms.Though the Centre is still in the developmental stage, Professor Malanczuk said one of its aims is to establish itself as a globally recognized centre of excellence in the region. He said that visits by ambassadors to the WTO will benefit Centre by giving it direct access to information and contacts that will facilitate its research and training programmes in highly relevant areas.

 

Ambassador Ali visited Hong Kong from 9 to 15 February to learn more about the city's political, economic, trade and social development. He has represented Bangladesh at the WTO since 2001.