Lam says GBA alignment task force may launch soon
Bastillepost · 3 SOURCES1 day ago5 MIN
Summary
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok (林定國) said a new task force proposed in the Policy Address to accelerate the alignment of rules and mechanisms among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao is expected to be formed by the end of this year or early next year, with work with mainland counterparts to start in early next year. He said the task force will be coordinated by the Deputy Secretary for Justice and bring together relevant policy bureaux to study how to speed up Greater Bay Area rule and mechanism alignment. Lam made the remarks in a speech at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Dispute Resolution Summit Forum. He also linked the initiative to Hong Kong’s first five-year plan, under which the city will continue supporting the development of Greater Bay Area dispute resolution services.
Key Points
- The Policy Address proposed a dedicated task force on Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao rule alignment and mechanism coordination, with formation targeted for late 2026 or early 2027.
- Lam said the Deputy Secretary for Justice will coordinate relevant policy bureaux to examine ways to accelerate Greater Bay Area regulatory and institutional integration.
- The government plans to begin related engagement with mainland authorities in early 2027 after the task force is set up.
- Under Hong Kong’s first five-year plan, officials will promote complementary arbitration systems and study a path toward model Greater Bay Area arbitration rules.
- Lam said lists issued last December covered 143 arbitrators and 233 mediators, while the legal training academy has served over 5,000 people, including more than 240 mainland judges.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong, the timetable gives a clearer sense of when official cross-boundary legal coordination may move from policy language to structured talks with mainland counterparts. The linked work on arbitration, mediation and legal training points to Hong Kong’s effort to strengthen its role in Greater Bay Area dispute resolution through both institutional coordination and professional networks.