With the rapid development of China's economy and the expansion and opening up of the mainland market, the cooperation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in legal services has gradually increased. In order to enhance mutual understanding between Hong Kong and the mainland legal community and create a high-level exchange and cooperation platform, from September 1st to 5th, 2018, Peking University Law School held the "Peking University Legal Service Cooperation on Hot Issues between Hong Kong and Mainland Seminar ".

On the morning of September 1, the opening ceremony of the “Peking University Legal Service Cooperation on Hot Issues between Hong Kong and Mainland Seminar” was held in the lecture hall of Koguan Building of Law School. Zhang Kuo, Deputy Director of the Legal Department of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Yang Xiaolei, Deputy Dean of Peking University Law School, and more than 30 students from the legal profession in Hong Kong attended the opening ceremony. The ceremony was hosted by Shi Shi, Director of Domestic Cooperation Office of Peking University Law School. 

Firstly, Deputy Dean Yang Xiaolei pointed out in his opening speech that exchanges and interactions have important practical significance for both the Mainland and Hong Kong. He pointed out that the current common development and progress achieved by China and the world, and the continuous breakthrough and resolution of major human problems are benefited from the comprehensive and continuous exchanges, interactions and explorations in various fields, which is also the correct way we must adhere to in the future. He hopes that the students will be able to enjoy the learning time of Peking University Law School.

Subsequently, Bi Wentai, managing partner of Tang Tianshen Law Firm, and Huang Tianwei, a practicing barrister, spoke as representatives of participants of this seminar. They expressed sincere gratitude to the law school for preparing this seminar, and hope that through this study, they will further deepen the understanding and liaison between the legal circles of the two places and provide better legal services for customers in two places in the future.

Finally, Deputy Director Zhang Kuo delivered a mobilization speech. He said that he is very excited to return to his alma mater as an alumnus of Peking University. He also hopes that as a student of Peking University Law School, he can feel the responsibility of Peking University legal person, and he can learn and gain something in this seminar.

This seminar consists of a group of well-known scholars from Peking University. The senior judges of the Supreme People's Court, the Legal Department of Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and senior foreign-related lawyers are invited to serve as teachers. The content of the course is closely related to the hot issues of legal service cooperation between Hong Kong and the Mainland. It focuses on key issues such as economic development, rule of law construction, national conditions and diplomacy. It also conducts research and discussion on specific issues such as cross-border arrangements for judicial assistance in the Mainland and Hong Kong and judicial practice of civil and commercial matters.

At the same time, this seminar specially held a thematic salon. Li Zheng, a senior partner of Beijing Zhonglun Wende Law Firm; Liu Xiaoming, a senior partner of Longan Law Firm; Zeng Zanxin, a partner of Zhong Lun Law Firm, three partners share their own experiences. Then participants discuss on “The status quo and future of legal services” “the institutional differences and cooperation in the legal service industry between the two places” and “the issue of how to strengthen the links and cooperation between legal services in the two places” in depth.

In addition, in response to the legal practice of mainland enterprises going to Hong Kong for listing in the capital market, the seminar organized participants to visit Xiaomi Company to gain an in-depth understanding of business and legal practices in corporate development, and to jointly explore new development opportunities on cooperation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in legal services

The "Peking University Legal Service Cooperation on Hot Issues between Hong Kong and Mainland Seminar " is the tenth seminar in series of seminars held by Peking University Law School, in the face of the legal profession in Hong Kong. Through long-term cooperation, this series of seminars has become an important platform for the legal professions of the two places to discuss legal hot issues and exchanges and cooperation, and has contributed to the promotion of interaction and cooperation between the two places.

Translated by: Wen Yuting

Edited by: Shi Jiali