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The Asian Legal History Association (ALHA), initiated by the Faculty of Law at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK LAW), held its official launch today (17 March) at the CUHK Graduate Law Centre. Bringing together 21 leading law schools and research institutes from 17 jurisdictions, the ALHA marks a major step forward in strengthening global scholarship on legal history in general and Asia’s rich and diverse legal heritage in particular.

The event was graced by The Honourable Paul Lam Ting-kwok, GBS, SC, JP, Secretary for Justice in the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, who delivered the keynote address. Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, offered welcome remarks. Professor Chao Xi, Dean of CUHK LAW, joined representatives of founding institutions in witnessing the commemorative launch of the ALHA.

As the first long-term institutional platform dedicated to deepening understanding of Asia’s diverse legal traditions, and fostering sustained, cross-jurisdictional dialogue on legal history within Asia and beyond, the establishment of the ALHA represents a significant milestone not only for international legal academia, but also for Hong Kong’s evolving role as a centre of legal excellence in Asia.

In his remarks, Professor Lo stated: “CUHK LAW is honoured to serve as the standing Secretariat of the Association. This role reflects CUHK’s long-standing commitment to international academic engagement and our belief that universities have a responsibility not only to generate knowledge but also to sustain the institutional platforms through which knowledge can be shared, developed and translated into deeper understanding over time. We see this as part of CUHK’s broader contribution to Hong Kong and its future, strengthening the intellectual and institutional foundations that underpin the city’s international role.”

In his keynote speech, Mr Lam emphasised Hong Kong’s unique and significant systematic strengths under the “One Country, Two Systems”, making it an ideal base for ALHA. “As the only common law jurisdiction within China, Hong Kong enjoys independent power of adjudication and the power of final adjudication under the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal after Hong Kong’s reunification with the Motherland. Hong Kong courts continue to refer to precedents of other common law jurisdictions, and Hong Kong court cases have also been cited by overseas courts of other common law jurisdictions from time to time, which fully demonstrate the professional standard and international recognition of Hong Kong’s judicial system.”

The ALHA builds on the momentum generated by the Asian Legal History Conference series, which has been held annually since 2021, hosted and supported by leading law faculties in Asia and Europe. With its formal establishment, the Association is poised to bring fresh perspectives to global legal history research, promote the inheritance and exchange of legal culture and catalyse scholarly collaboration across continents.

Alongside the launch of the ALHA, CUHK LAW and the Faculty of Law at the University of Oxford are hosting the Legal History in Asia and Beyond: Lessons from the Past for the Present conference. This unique, dual-venue conference will take place on 17-18 March at CUHK in Hong Kong, and on 23 March at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. The transnational nature of this event underscores the Association’s commitment to global engagement and its mission to connect scholars and institutions across regions.

For more information about the Asian Legal History Association: https://web.law.cuhk.edu.hk/ALHA/