BEIJING – A total of 372 lawyers from Hong Kong and Macau have obtained certificates of practice for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA), a senior official from the Ministry of Justice said yesterday.
They are among more than 1,500 lawyers from Hong Kong and Macau who sat special examinations to obtain the certificates, said Tian Xin, chief of the ministry’s Bureau of Lawyers’ Work, at a press conference.
Lawyers in the GBA have the advantage of being familiar with the laws of Hong Kong and Macau as well as relevant foreign laws, and also being familiar with the laws of the mainland, and having experience in handling civil and commercial litigation and arbitration cases as well as legal affairs in areas such as investment and intellectual property rights that involve Hong Kong and Macau or foreign entities, Tian said.
In 2020, the central government began a trial program allowing lawyers from the Hong Kong and Macau special administrative regions to obtain licenses in order to be able to practise in nine cities in Guangdong province.
In September, the trial program was extended to 2026, with the related policies having been improved to make the process easier.
The ministry will further improve policies on opening up the mainland’s legal service to Hong Kong and Macau legal professionals and refine supportive measures to enable them to enjoy better opportunities, Tian said. – Xinhua
