Hong Kong’s Secretary for Justice Visits Canada

“The ’One Country, Two Systems’ concept is working very well in Hong Kong.” That was the message communicated by Hong Kong’s Secretary of Justice, Ms Elsie Leung, during her first official visit to Canada last month.

From November 17 to 22, Ms Leung travelled to Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, meeting with government officials, think-tank representatives, legal professionals, academics and local Chinese business and community leaders. 

While in Ottawa, Ms Leung met with the Secretary of State for Asia Pacific, the Hon David Kilgour, and the Minister of Justice, the Hon Martin Cauchon. She also addressed a roundtable discussion organised by the Canadian Institute for International Affairs and the Canadian Council on International Law. There, Ms Leung outlined the strengths of Hong Kong under “One Country, Two Systems”, citing the provisions of equality and freedom provided in the Basic Law, the independent court system and the Mainland leaders’ commitment to the promised high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong people to administer their own affairs. 

In Toronto, Ms Leung held a bilateral meeting with the Attorney General of Ontario, the Hon Michael Bryant, updating him about the opportunities offered by the newly signed Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) between Hong Kong and the Mainland. 

Ms Leung also addressed a luncheon at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre co-organised by the Canadian Club and the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Toronto) and supported by the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Describing CEPA as a landmark agreement, Secretary Leung said it highlighted the Mainland’s unwavering commitment to the faithful implementation of “One Country, Two Systems”, and it underscored the Mainland’s more recent commitment to a rules-based global trading system.

In Vancouver, Ms Leung called on Mayor Larry Campbell of the City of Vancouver and Mayor Malcolm Brodie of the City of Richmond to promote closer ties between Hong Kong and British Columbia. 

At a luncheon held in her honour by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Vancouver), the Canadian Club and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Ms Leung spoke about “ Hong Kong as Your Fast Track to China and Asia-Pacific: A Legal Perspective”. 

She said in parallel to the growth in China, Hong Kong has become one of the world’s leading financial and business services hubs, a place for international companies to venture into China and a place for Mainland companies to raise funds and reach out to the world.

Secretary Leung added that as more foreign investment and imports poured into China, investors were increasingly turning to Hong Kong lawyers for legal advice in negotiation and conclusion of China-related agreements. 

Ms Leung’s Vancouver itinerary included a meeting with the Attorney General of British Columbia, the Hon Geoff Plant, and with local academics, lawyers and think-tank representatives at a roundtable session organised by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

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