The judgments in civil and commercial cases are mutually recognized and enforced between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. Lawyer Chen Peiyu of this joint law firm was interviewed by New Express.
At 10:00 a.m. on January 29, 2024, the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region jointly announced in Hong Kong that the "Arrangement Concerning Mutual Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Cases between the Courts of the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" (hereinafter referred to as the "Arrangement"), signed in Beijing on January 18, 2019, came into effect simultaneously in both regions on the same day. With this, all nine civil and commercial judicial assistance documents signed between the Mainland and Hong Kong since Hong Kong's return have now taken effect, marking a new breakthrough in the alignment of legal rules between the two regions.
It is reported that the Arrangement stipulates the scope and content of judgments, procedures and methods for application of recognition and enforcement, circumstances for non-recognition and non-enforcement, as well as channels for remedies, regarding the mutual recognition and enforcement of civil and commercial case judgments between the two regions. Specifically, in the Mainland, applicants shall submit applications for recognition and enforcement of judgments specified in the Arrangement to the intermediate people's courts where the applicant's domicile, the respondent's domicile, or the location of the property is located. In the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, applicants shall submit such applications to the High Court.
The historic seamless connection and mutual recognition of civil and commercial case judgments between the Mainland and Hong Kong have opened up new horizons for cross-border legal services and significantly promoted the in-depth development of legal cooperation between the two regions.
This innovative legal framework means that Hong An Xin Chen (Guangzhou) Joint Law Firm can enforce civil and commercial case judgments between the Mainland and Hong Kong more efficiently and conveniently when handling legal affairs. This transformation will provide more convenient and reliable legal support to enterprises and individuals conducting business in both regions.
Hong An Xin Chen (Guangzhou) Joint Law Firm has long been committed to building a legal bridge between the Mainland and Hong Kong, offering comprehensive legal services to clients. The seamless connection of civil and commercial case judgments between the Mainland and Hong Kong marks the firm's continuous innovation and leadership in the field of cross-border legal services.
Photo: Lawyer Chen Peiyu (first from the right) of the joint law firm
In an interview with reporters from New Express, Lawyer Chen Peiyu of Hong An Xin Chen (Guangzhou) Joint Law Firm stated, "The entry into force of the Arrangement is a new milestone in the integration and mutual assistance of laws between the two regions. The Arrangement will greatly assist our work. It will encourage more extraterritorial parties to choose the courts of Hong Kong to resolve asset recovery cases in the Mainland and also enable Mainland enterprises to expand globally through Hong Kong. We will continue to strive to leverage this new legal framework to provide higher-quality and more efficient legal support for our clients' businesses in both the Mainland and Hong Kong."
Photo: Screenshot of the report by New Express
Hong An Xin Chen (Guangzhou) Joint Law Firm will continue to closely monitor the latest developments in the legal fields of the Mainland and Hong Kong, and constantly drive further innovation to meet clients' legal needs.