Hong Kong's legal professionals are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between the different legal systems used in the city and Central Asia, according to the president of the Law Society of Hong Kong.

Roden Tong will be part of Chief Executive John Lee's delegation to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

While Hong Kong practises common law under "One Country, Two Systems", most Central Asian jurisdictions follow civil law traditions.

Speaking to RTHK ahead of the trip, Tong said Hong Kong's legal sector could play a "pivotal role" in facilitating investment between the two markets — pointing to a little-known common law enclave in the heart of Central Asia.

He was referring to the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) in Kazakhstan that opened in 2018.

"They adopt common law within the AIFC," Tong said.

"That is quite very similar to Hong Kong."

The AIFC features an independent court system whose judges are predominantly from the United Kingdom, creating a legal environment Tong described as "very equivalent to Hong Kong".

The president revealed the Law Society has been building ties with the region since 2016, and signed a memorandum of understanding with the AIFC in 2022.

"Hopefully during this delegation, on this occasion, we can further explore more business opportunities for the entire business sector," he said.

Tong drew parallels with Dubai, where its international financial centre also operates under a common law system — a model Hong Kong legal professionals have already navigated successfully.

For Central Asian companies looking to invest in Hong Kong and access the mainland Chinese market, Tong said the city's legal infrastructure offers several distinct advantages.

Hong Kong's dual-language capability — English, Cantonese and Mandarin — provides certainty and predictability for international businesses, he said, particularly in dispute resolution, arbitration and mediation.

Tong also pointed to the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (Cepa), where overseas companies partnering with Hong Kong firms can adopt common law in the Greater Bay Area — complete with tax incentives.

The recent establishment of the International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) headquarters in Hong Kong adds another layer of appeal as well, Tong said.

The Law Society recently met with Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui and IOMed Secretary-General Teresa Cheng to discuss creating a specialised mediation panel for commodities trading.

"This is something that, if at the end of the day, there's any disputes or even in the contractual formulation... Hong Kong legal professionals can actually play this pivotal role," Tong said.



Edited by Raymond Yeung