Law Society's "Teen Talk" brings students on a two-day, English-language, eye-opening study tour in Greater Bay Area

Since 2009, The Law Society of Hong Kong has been organising its annual flagship programme, "Teen Talk", a rule of law youth-education programme characterised by its innovative and diverse activities. This year's "Teen Talk" launches a new initiative by organising a two-day Greater Bay Area (GBA) study tour conducted entirely in English for secondary school students.

Themed “Deepening Legal Cooperation, Youth Shaping Tomorrow”, the study tour was held on July 6 to 7 with an action-packed schedule that included cultural exchange, visits to legal institutions and guided tours to cutting-edge technology enterprises in Shenzhen.

The study tour was co-organised by The Law Society of Hong Kong and Justice Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, with full support from the Department of Justice, Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and Education Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Shenzhen Lawyers Association and Shenzhen University.

Guided and mentored by 24 voluntary solicitors from the Law Society, 60 outstanding students from Hong Kong international schools and local schools went to Shenzhen and met with 20 students from international schools in Shenzhen.

The study tour kicked off at Shenzhen Talent Park where Roden Tong, President of the Law Society, said during the opening ceremony, “The study tour is conducted entirely in English to provide students with an immersive linguistic environment that prepares them for a global future.” He added that during the guided visits to esteemed legal organisations in Shenzhen, students would gain first-hand insight into different legal systems and practices.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to nurturing legal talents, Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan, Deputy Secretary for Justice of the Government of the HKSAR, said, “The Department of Justice will take forward the establishment of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy. It is also through initiatives, like the present thoughtfully-organised study tour of The Law Society of Hong Kong, that we lay the foundation for legal talents. Through this two-day tour, you will have the chance to visit different places, including law court and arbitration centre, in Shenzhen. This experience will provide you with insights that will shape your future endeavours, not only in the legal field, but beyond.”

“We hope that young people will fully utilise this rare opportunity to understand the spirit of the rule of law and learn legal knowledge,” noted Chen Ming, Member of the Party Committee of the Justice Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality and Full time Secretary of the Party Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal Lawyer Industry. He encouraged young people from both Hong Kong and Shenzhen to actively participate in the construction of the rule of law in the GBA as a demonstration of the youth’s commitment to this era.

Sharon Tam, Chairlady of the Organising Committee of ‘Teen Talk’ said, “The Organising Committee is excited to hold this first-ever Greater Bay Area study tour to provide legal education and contribute to the development of the Greater Bay Area.”

A valuable opportunity to visit Shenzhen’s legal institutions

The study tour started with a visit to major legal institutions in Shenzhen. This offered participants a perfect starting place to understand the differences in the legal systems in the Greater Bay Area.

The first stop was the Shenzhen Qianhai Cooperation Zone People’s Court, during which Roden Tong introduced the common law system in Hong Kong, allowing students from both Shenzhen and Hong Kong to gain a better understanding of the different legal systems and practices in the two regions. Judge Liu Zhe of the Court delivered a speech on the path and choices for resolving cross-boundary commercial disputes in the GBA.

The next stop was the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration, where its President Liu Xiaochun took participants on a guided tour to learn about Mainland’s rule of law, equipping them with the latest developments of international arbitration in Shenzhen.

English communication to shape future development

Hong Kong is the international law and dispute resolution centre in the Asia-Pacific region, where bilingual proficiency is crucial. The study tour was conducted entirely in English to highlight Hong Kong’s legal advantages as the only common law jurisdiction in China.

On the first day, after unpacking at the hotel, participants hurried to the conference rooms to discuss and prepare for the preliminary round of the Group Presentation Competition that took place later that evening. Eventually four teams won the preliminary round of competition with flying colours.

The following morning, the four shortlisted teams competed in the final round of the Group Presentation Competition with the topic “How might the respective features of the legal systems in the Mainland and Hong Kong be synergised to the advancement of the development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area?”

The adjudicators were delighted to see that every team performed exceptionally well and was fully prepared, with each member demonstrating the qualities of future leaders. It was also a great learning experience for all participants.

Exploring innovative technologies in ‘low-altitude economy’ industries

After lunch, the study tour visited two renowned technology-based enterprises, DJI and Meituan.  At DJI, they explored the latest advancements in drone technology, learning how drones are revolutionising various industries.  After that, students visited Meituan to understand the latest technology applications in the Mainland, such as the use of drones for food delivery in the development of low-altitude economy.

The last stop was the Shenzhen Civil Code Park, where participants learned about the history and knowledge of the Civil Code and took part in a related quiz game at the Civil Code Museum.

Finally, they attended an anti-drug talk presented by Chen Xianling, Deputy Captain of the Second Drug Rehabilitation Brigade of the Justice Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality.

The study tour concluded with new friendships forged and new knowledge gained that will help shape and further the youth’s future endeavours.

Since its inception, ‘Teen Talk’ has received continuous support from schools and students, with over 18,000 teenagers from more than 470 secondary schools having taken part.

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