Hong Kong Bar Association to visit Beijing for second year in a row after 5-year break
- Bar Association to visit Beijing to discuss its views sometime this year after visits resumed in 2023
- Association chairman Victor Dawes says ‘frank dialogue’ with mainland authorities ‘invaluable’ and that central government ‘treasures’ profession’s opinions
The Hong Kong Bar Association will visit Beijing again this year to discuss the views of the city’s barristers, with the body’s leader saying mainland Chinese authorities respect its opinions.
Bar Association chairman Victor Dawes told the Post that maintaining close contact with the central government was an important way to help ensure the profession’s voice was heard on the mainland.
“Since [resuming the trip last year], we have made use of opportunities to try to have very frank dialogue and I think it is invaluable,” Dawes said.
Last year’s visit came after a five-year break in what had been regular annual exchanges of views.
“It’s great that the central government, I think, does treasure the views of the legal profession in Hong Kong,” Dawes said.
He added he would “consolidate our thoughts” on the trip to the nation’s capital, which will take place sometime this year.
Dawes has met Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, three times over the past 15 months.
