Hong Kong should become training centre for global legal talent to boost status as arbitration hub in Asia-Pacific, John Lee says

City leader also uses second ‘interactive exchange’ at Legco to promote cultivating more legal talent to speed up nation’s development into ‘law-based’ society

‘Hong Kong should take advantage of its existing strengths to develop into a base for training international legal talent for both China and foreign countries,’ he says

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Hong Kong should establish itself as a training centre for international legal talent, Chief Executive John Lee (centre) says. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 4:58pm, 13 Jul 2023Updated: 5:06pm, 13 Jul 2023

Hong Kong should consolidate its status as a regional arbitration hub by establishing itself as a training centre of “international legal talent” for both mainland China and foreign countries, the city’s leader has said.

Cultivating more legal talent would also accelerate the nation’s development as a “law-based” society, an alternative phrase for the rule of law used in a report from the 20th Communist Party congress, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Thursday said.

Floating the proposal during his second “interactive exchange” with the Legislative Council, Lee said the city’s advantages included a strong base of well-educated legal practitioners and a globally recognised common law system.

“Hong Kong should take advantage of its existing strengths to develop into a base for training international legal talent for both mainland China and foreign countries, as well as to strengthen its position as a service centre for international legal and dispute resolution in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.

Lee also asked legislators during the session if they had any suggestions for how Hong Kong could develop into an internationally renowned legal training centre.