Beijing Visit Like Meeting Old Friends: Bar Assoc

The Bar Association's chairman on Wednesday said he felt like he was "meeting old friends" during the body's first trip to Beijing after a five-year hiatus, but stressed that he would not shy away from relaying concerns Hong Kong people may have to mainland officials.

The association's delegation will be in the capital for five days to visit top ministries and hold talks with officials there.

Victor Dawes, the chairman of the association, said he was happy and honoured to be able to visit Beijing, adding that he hopes it will be a yearly event from now on.

"A lot of friends have described this trip as the ice-breaking trip, but as I have said previously, to us it is really like meeting old friends," he said.

Dawes told the media that the association would reflect issues that concern the legal profession and Hong Kong people to mainland authorities, like the implementation of the national security law and an amendment to the Legal Practitioners Ordinance.

"We hope to convey accurate views from the profession and also the general public to the authorities in Beijing, and we promise you that we will give a complete picture, rather than giving a one-sided picture," he said.

Dawes said he had a "candid and thorough" exchange with Shen Chunyao, who chairs the Basic Law Committee of the country's top legislature.

The barrister said they exchanged views on the implementation of the security legislation, and that he told Shen that future Article 23 legislation should strike a balance between safeguarding national security and protecting human rights.

Dawes said the delegation also met Ma Xinmin, director-general of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The association will visit the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office and Peking University on Thursday.