The 16th Advanced Programme for Chinese Senior Judges

City University of Hong Kong has collaborated with the Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China and its National Judges College since 2008. Together they have organized a number of programmes for Chinese senior judges and have educated elites in the field. The Opening Ceremony for Juridical Science Programme for Chinese Senior Judges, Master of Laws Programme for Chinese Judges and Advanced Programme for Chinese Senior Judges cum Graduation Celebration for Chinese Judges 2023 was successfully held on 25 September 2023 at Joseph Lee Hall, Li Dak Sum Yip Yio Chin Academic Building, CityU.

Group photo of officiating guests and participants of 14th Master of Laws Programme for Chinese Judges

Group photo of officiating guests and participants of 11th Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD) Programme for Chinese Senior Judges

Group photo of officiating guests and participants of 16^th Advanced Programme for Chinese Senior Judge

Prominent experts in the law field in Hong Kong and mainland China have attended the ceremony. The officiating guests included Justice LIU Guixiang, Permanent member of the Supreme People's Court's judicial committee (vice-minister level) and President of National Judges College; Ms. LEI Hong, Vice-President of National Judges College; Ms. WANG Xiaofang, Vice-President of National Judges College; Mr. WANG Jian Yuan, Deputy Director of Legal Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mr. CHEN Jianzhong, Deputy Director-General of Department of Treaty and Law at The Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong S.A.R.

In addition, we are also honoured to invite authorities from the local legal profession to attend the ceremony. The officiating guests include Mr. Victor DAWES SC, Chairman of Hong Kong Bar Association; Mr. C. M. CHAN, President of The Law Society of Hong Kong; Dr. Kennedy WONG, BBS, LLD, DCL, JP, Member of Legislative Council of the Hong Kong S.A.R; Mr. ZHAO Zhenhua, President of China Legal Service (Hong Kong) Ltd.

Professor Freddy BOEY, President of City University of Hong Kong and Professor LIN Feng, Dean of School of Law at City University of Hong Kong, also attended and officiated the ceremony.

In his speech, Justice LIU expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all colleagues of the School of Law of the CityU, and thanked the organizations of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong and various sectors of the Hong Kong community for their long-term support of nurturing Mainland Judges. Justice LIU put forward three expectations for the Mainland Judges participating in the programmes: first, they must always adhere to Xi Jinping’s rule of law as a guide for study and work, and strive to make the people feel fairness and justice in every judicial case; second, we must take it as our responsibility to serve the "One Belt, One Road" strategy and the construction of the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area" and continue to pioneer and innovate; finally, thesis writing and research should emphasize the investigation and research, and produce academic results that can stand the test of practice.

President BOEY congratulated all graduating judges on their successful graduation. He pointed out that law plays a crucial role in the transformation of the country. It is a great honour for CityU to be a bridge that promotes judicial exchanges and enhances mutual understanding between Hong Kong and Mainland China. CityU is proud to contribute to the country's judicial reform and rule of law construction.

Finally, Prof. LIN thanked the Supreme People's Court and the National College of Judges for their trust in CityU. He also thanked all the individuals and institutions that have helped us with the Chinese Judges programmes over the years.

Mr. CHEUNG Horace, SBS, JP, Deputy Secretary for Justice attended the dinner on the day of the ceremony.

The programme kicked off with a special lecture on the core and hot issues of the Basic Law delivered by Prof. Lin. During the two-week programme, the participants have learnt about the Legislative and Judicial systems in Hong Kong through various visits, including visits to the the Commissioner's Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong S.A.R; High Court; the Court of Final Appeal; the Legislative Council; Department of Justice; the Correctional Services Department; the Independent Commission Against Corruption; the Office of the Ombudsman; the Legal Aid Department; Hong Kong Bar Association; and the Law Society of Hong Kong.

In addition, the Centre for Judicial Education and Research cum Identification of Hong Kong Law is also honoured to invite Mr. FANG Jianming, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong S.A.R; Hon Andrew LEUNG Kwan-yuen, GBM, GBS, JP, Chairman of the Legislative Council; Hon Madam Justice Carlye CHU Fun-ling, Vice-President of the Court of Appeal of the High Court; Mr. Llewellyn MUI Kei Fat, Solicitor General of Department of Justice Constitutional and Policy Affairs Division; Mr. NG Chiu Kok, CSDSM, Deputy Commissioner of Correctional Services (Operations and Strategic Development); Mr. TANG Chi Kong, Assistant Director of Operations Department at Independent Commission Against Corruption; Ms. CHAN Oi Yung, Juliana, JP, Deputy Director of Legal Aid Department; Mr. Victor DAWES SC, Chairman of Hong Kong Bar Association; and Mr. C. M. CHAN, President of the Law Society of Hong Kong; and, to meet and exchange views and ideas with the delegation of Chinese senior judges.

The 16th Advanced Programme for Chinese Senior Judges was successfully concluded on 28 September 2023. Participants of the programme enthusiastically joined the seminar held in the School of Law. The Chinese senior judges have concluded what they have learnt from the programme, as well as voiced their opinions and suggestions. The head of the delegation of this programme, Justice ZHANG Neng, Vice President of the Higher People's Court of Sichuan Province, expressed that during the exchanges and meetings with many members of the judiciary in Hong Kong, he was proud of Hong Kong's governance results and stable development. Last but not least, he reminded all participants: "We will seriously follow the requirements of XI Jinping's Thought on the Rule of Law, take into account the actual situation in the Mainland, absorb and learn from these experiences, do our job well, and further promote the modernization of the judiciary in the Mainland!”