Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee has defended a new ordinance allowing the enforcement of mainland Chinese court orders in civil cases in Hong Kong, saying that there would be “fair process.”
The Mainland Judgements in Civil and Commercial Matters (Reciprocal Enforcement) Ordinance offers reciprocal recognition and enforcement of civil judgements in Hong Kong and mainland Chinese courts. It will come into effect next Monday.
Media outlet Nikkei Asia reported last December that wealthy individuals from China were concerned about the protection of their assets in Hong Kong and the impact of the ordinance on the city’s common law system. A wealth manager told the outlet that the move could lead to the wealthy relocating their assets to places like Singapore and Switzerland.
When asked by HKFP at a Tuesday press conference about how to reassure investors, Lee said that judgments made by mainland Chinese courts would not automatically take effect in Hong Kong. The parties involved would need to launch a legal process and successfully “register” the judgements in Hong Kong’s courts.
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