A total of 42 lawyers from Hong Kong and Macao were granted work permits during a special session held on Oct 16 in Guangzhou. The session was attended by Zeng Xianglu, chief of Guangdong Department of Justice and lawyers from law firms from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao.  

The session is attended by Zeng Xianglu, chief of Guangdong Department of Justice and lawyers from Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

According to Zeng who granted the lawyers work permits at the session, Guangdong has been promoting this kind of joint operation since 2014 to give full expression to the potential of lawyers and develop high-end law business in areas of international trade, cross-border finance and internet finance.

Currently there are a total of 11 such law firms set up in Guangdong, two in Guangzhou, seven in Shenzhen and two in Zhuhai. A total of 136 lawyers have been sent to work in these law firms, including 33 from Hong Kong and nine from Macao.

Zeng Xianglu (L), chief of Guangdong Department of Justice, grants a work permit to a lawyer from Hong Kong. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Zeng said the launch of the joint-operated law firms is a crucial step in promoting the opening-up of the legal service market to Hong Kong and Macao and integrating premium legal resources from the Chinese mainland and the two special administrative regions.

The law firms will provide legal services to enterprises in Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone when they conduct foreign trade and make great contributions to the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone, Zeng added.

Xiao Shengfang, head of Guangdong Lawyers Association, gives a speech at the session [Photo/Chinanews.com]