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Teresa Cheng

Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah has been embroiled in a controversy about illegal structures since January 6, her first day in office, when news emerged of 10 unauthorised extensions to her and her husband's home in Tuen Mun. Cheng claims the four illegal structures were there when she bought the three-storey property in 2008. The scandal widened when new evidence emerged that she had bought a HK$62 million (US$8 million) luxury flat in Repulse Bay with a deed specifying illegal extensions on the property. A senior counsel since 2000 and former chairwoman of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, Cheng is the city's fourth justice minister.

Born

11 Nov 1958

Industry

Politics

Job Title

Former Secretary of Justice, Hong Kong SAR

Cui Jianchun, commissioner of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, addresses a summit of the International Organisation for Mediation held in Hong Kong last Friday. Photo: Xinhua

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Teresa Cheng

Is China’s new mediation body gaining steam as Western brokers’ influence wanes?

Summit encourages countries to join Beijing-led initiative as stalled US-Iran peace talks reveal limits of traditional solution mechanisms.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Explainer | Why Hong Kong is trying to make waves in global legal scene

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ATAL Building Services Engineering of Analogue Holdings, set up by Otto Poon, will pay heaviest penalty of its kind after admitting liability in air-conditioning cartel cases.

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Teresa Cheng, who stepped down as justice secretary in June, predicts the plan, which involves several countries, will boost the city.

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Local legislative process will allow government some time and leeway to assess impact, or pros and cons of implementation of law, insider says.

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Fresh off her four-day visit to Beijing, Teresa Cheng offers assurances the law will only be used to counter unreasonable sanctions on the city and country.

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If anything, it is the deterioration of US-China relations that is creating problems for American businesses in Hong Kong

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Teresa Cheng aims to instil fairness in system she says deprives department colleagues of recognition, but concerns are raised about potential for legal profession.

Past actions, words will be vetted by committee under Hong Kong electoral overhaul

Teresa Cheng says details of decisions based on national security and intelligence will not be disclosed, but other matters can still be challenged in court by affected individuals.

Opposition can still offer ‘rational’ criticisms after revamp, justice chief say

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng says revamp aims to stop people who seriously undermine the country’s interests and constitutional order by entering political system.

Justice chief hits out at ‘biased’ reporting on appeals against protesters

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng said some reports had ignored prosecutors’ arguments for seeking tougher sentences for those convicted over 2019’s social unrest.

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Upholding the cab rank rule, which ensures that any client can seek quality legal representation of their choice, is vital because it is an indivisible part of the tradition, integrity and independence of the bar.

Letters | Outrage over QC’s exit yet more proof of double standards

If People’s Daily’s commentary on the decision to grant Jimmy Lai bail was freedom of speech, so was Dominic Raab’s criticism of David Perry QC’s decision to take up high-profile Hong Kong activists’ case.

London attacks on barrister in Jimmy Lai case ‘disgraceful’: Hong Kong justice chief

David Perry, who has handled numerous high-profile cases in the city over the past decade, had been labelled ‘mercenary’ by British foreign secretary.

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With the judiciary facing fire on multiple fronts, Mr Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung has put accountability and reform near the top of his agenda

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Tam Yiu-chung, city’s sole delegate to country’s top legislative body, makes comments in publication as justice minister insists system ‘very much’ transparent.

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Senior counsel William Tam was made acting director ‘for administrative convenience’ on New Year’s Eve, according to the government gazette.

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In a commentary published in the Post, Cheng argues the discussion surrounding the term betrays a ‘pathetic’ lack of understanding of its implications.

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