The 3rd Doctor of Juridical Science (Chinese Judges) Programme Commences

24 September 2013
-Agnes Kwok

Group photo of the officiating guests with judges of the 3rd Doctor of Juridical Science (Chinese Judges) Programme

The CityU Law School held the opening ceremony of the 3rd Doctor of Juridical Science (Chinese Judges) Programme on 16 September 2013. This year, a total of 24 Chinese judges joined the School. The ceremony was attended by the following officiating guests: Justice JIANG Bixin, Vice-President, Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China; Mr Herman HU Shao-ming, Council Chairman, City University of Hong Kong; Professor HUANG Yongwei, President, National Judges College of the People’s Republic of China; Professor Way KUO, President and University Distinguished Professor, City University of Hong Kong; Dr LIU Xinkui, Director-General, Legal Affairs Department, Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; Mr LI Lu, Director-General, Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs, Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; The Hon Andrew LIAO Cheung-sing, GBS, SC, JP, Member of International Advisory Board, School of Law, City University of Hong Kong, Non-official Member of Executive Council of HKSAR; Mr Ambrose S K LAM, President, Law Society of Hong Kong; Mr Paul SHIEH SC, Chairman, Hong Kong Bar Association; Mr GUO Qingliang, Chairman of China Legal Service (H.K.) Ltd.; Professor Arthur ELLIS, Provost, City University of Hong Kong; Professor WANG Guiguo, Director, Centre for Judicial Education and Research, City University of Hong Kong; and Professor LIN Feng, Acting Dean, School of Law, City University of Hong Kong.

Professor Way Kuo welcomed the newly arrived Chinese judge students on behalf of City University of Hong Kong. He believed that the programme would provide ample chances for professionals from different sectors to share their experience and research insights with the judges. He hoped that upon completion of their study, the Chinese judges will be able to represent fairness and strength in the society. He also announced the formal establishment of the Centre for Judicial Education and Research under the University, aspiring to contribute to legal studies and judge training for future China.

Justice Jiang Bixin encouraged the Chinese judge students to apply the insights and wisdom inherited from the course of China’s long history, and to understand the perspectives of both Eastern and Western cultures through the programme. They should strive to grasp the essence of the civil law and common law systems so that they can reflect on legal issues systematically; judges are now shouldered with the mission of establishing rule of law in China and in so doing create history.

The Hon Andrew Liao pointed out that in view of the major trends of the world and global economic integration, different jurisdictions are influencing one another and developing in an increasingly unified direction. The Doctor of Juridical Science (Chinese Judges) Programme can deepen students’ understanding of Hong Kong’s legal system and at the same time bring in latest news about legal developments on the mainland, and facilitate the legal cooperation and exchange between mainland China and Hong Kong.

Mr Ambrose Lam exemplified the assimilation and conflicts between the legal systems in mainland China and Hong Kong with Qianhai Special Zone construction and interpretation of the Law by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. It was his hope that against the backdrop of globalization, the Chinese judge students can assess and learn from the strengths and shortcomings of the common law system, and promote the development of China’s legal system into a fairer, more effective structure to satisfy the needs of the society.

Mr Paul Shieh quoted a British academic as saying: “one cannot accurately and fully reflect on the merits and pitfalls of one’s own system of constitutional organization without seeing it with others’ eyes”; just as understanding how we are viewed through others’ eyes will help us in enacting self-appraisal and realizing one’s real strengths. He also challenged the Chinese judge students to do more reading and research in their study, and experience for themselves the legal culture and the importance of an independent judiciary in Hong Kong.

As the representative of the 3rd Doctor of Juridical Science (Chinese Judges) Programme, Judge Jiang Xinhua, Vice-president of Higher People’s Court of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, trusted that the programme will provide precious chances and diverse channels for Chinese judges to gain an all-rounded understanding of the spirit of common law, think critically and learn cutting-edge legal concepts. The Chinese judges will strive for excellence in this once-in-a-lifetime challenge.

Professor Wang Guiguo pointed out that no system is perfect and there would always be room for improvement; hence he urged the Chinese judge students to learn from one another, and motivate one another to go forward in their endeavours. At the same time, one of the goals of the newly established Centre for Judicial Education and Research is to maximize the international recognition and impact of the Chinese judges programmes, and hopefully will meet the expectations of the Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China, the National Judges College and various sectors of the society.

Professor Lin Feng expressed heartfelt gratitude to various sectors of society for their support to the programme. He was proud of the Chinese judges students who choose to be true to their belief and are determined to undertake further study in law in Hong Kong. The CityU Law School shall comply with the principles of “one country, two systems” and offer the judge students a mirror of common law, so that they will arrive at their own conclusion through independent thinking, and critical, comparative analysis.