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The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data Welcomes a Delegation of Senior Judges from the Mainland of China
Look Forward to Closer Connection between Hong Kong and the Mainland of China on Privacy Protection to Create a Culture of Respect for Personal Data (16 October 2019)

The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong (Privacy Commissioner), Mr Stephen Kai-yi WONG and the Deputy Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Mr Tony LAM, attended the 15th Advanced Programme for Chinese Senior Judges (the Programme) this afternoon, hosting 21 senior judges and law school professors from different cities of the mainland of China. Mr Wong and Mr Lam expounded on Hong Kong's personal data protection laws and systems and the latest international trends in data protection, and conducted an in-depth discussion with the delegation.

The Privacy Commissioner said that Hong Kong has unique and irreplaceable advantages under “One Country, Two Systems“, such as free flow of information, comprehensive data protection legislation, protection of personal data privacy as a basic human right and English being one of the official languages. These advantages make Hong Kong an ideal data hub, international financial, mediation and arbitration centre in the country and even in the region.

With booming development of the Internet, big data and artificial intelligence, the Programme explored the latest international trends in data protection, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into force in 2018. Not only has GDPR made an impact on the EU, but also brought about changes to the privacy regulation frameworks and landscape around the globe, including in the mainland of China and Hong Kong.

The Privacy Commissioner hoped to make the best of Hong Kong's bridge role to let foreign countries better understand the mainland of China, so as to open up close cooperation between the mainland of China and foreign parties to jointly foster a culture and environment conducive to respect for personal data and information privacy. In recent years, a number of Chinese laws and regulations have been introduced to strengthen protection of human rights and personal information. Examples include the affirmation of personal information protection as a civil right protected by law, regulation of organisations’ handling of personal information and cybersecurity and stepping up of legal protection for children's personal information.

The Programme was organised by the Centre for Judicial Education and Research of the City University of Hong Kong. The office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data regularly hosts exchange visits by different stakeholder groups from Hong Kong, the mainland of China and overseas to promote fuller participation in privacy protection in various sectors.

The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong, Mr Stephen Kai-yi WONG, welcomes a delegation of senior judges from mainland China.


The Privacy Commissioner (right) and the head of the delegation, Judge Chen Hongxiang


The Privacy Commissioner looks forward to closer cooperation between Hong Kong and mainland China to foster a culture of respect for personal data.