Centre for Comparative and Public Law, HKU

25/01/2024

We are thrilled to announce an upcoming Centre for Comparative and Public Law at the University of Hong Kong talk on Backsliding and the response by ( and ). The talk will be presented by Alain Zysset, senior lecturer in public law at the University of Glasgow School of Law. This talk will delve into an overview of backsliding in , , and the and examines if the notion of backsliding is valid and sufficient to qualify them – or whether concepts such as and/or are also warranted. The talk will then critically assess the response by through selected judgments.
This talk is scheduled for February 7th, 2024, at HKU Law. Don't miss out on this opportunity to gain valuable insights into Backsliding and the response by . Register here: https://bit.ly/3HrJqV3.

04/01/2024

We are thrilled to announce an upcoming talk on political and . The talk will be presented by Iddo Porat, Associate Professor of constitutional law at College of Law and Business, Israel. As an expert in constitutional law and legal theory, Porat will delve into a case study of three countries - , , and - exploring the challenges political polarization has posed for their and the responses chosen by each court. Through this comparative study, intriguing similarities have emerged in the trajectories of political polarization and the corresponding reactions of the courts in these three countries. However, the analysis highlights a crucial difference in the divergence between a judicial path of wide versus narrow support.
This talk is scheduled for January 23rd, 2024. Don't miss out on this opportunity to gain valuable insights into the complex relationship between political polarization and the role of courts. Register here: https://bit.ly/47k5H1n

04/01/2024

We are delighted to announce an upcoming talk on 's public interest litigation against the government. The talk will be presented by Yueduan Wang, Assistant Professor at the School of Government at Peking University. Yueduan specializes in comparative judicial politics and constitutions, focusing on China and other non-liberal countries.
In this talk, Yueduan challenges the notion that diminished autonomy weakens the capacity of legal institutions to challenge state entities. He analyzes China's recent implementation of -led public interest litigation against state agencies. He argues that integration within an framework can enhance the effectiveness of justice institutions in supervising other state mechanisms. The research reveals that prosecutors have effectively ensured compliance with scrutinized agencies through a strategic mix of legal deterrence, informal collaboration, and political threats. These insights shed light on the complex interplay between institutional independence and legal enforcement within authoritarian regimes.
This talk is scheduled for January 22nd, 2024. Join us for this enlightening discussion. Register here: https://bit.ly/4aDSxPD.

03/01/2024

We are delighted to announce that there will be a talk on the future scholarly exchange. The talk will be presented by Prof Neysun Mahboubi, Director of the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations at the University of Pennsylvania. Prof Mahboubi is a renowned scholar with a primary academic interest in administrative law, comparative law, and Chinese law. He frequently comments on Chinese law, policy developments, and for various media outlets.
In this talk, he will explore the implications of the change in the scholarly exchange on established and junior scholars. He will examine how we can navigate back to earlier dynamics against fierce competition between the two countries and China's continued tightening of political space.
The event is scheduled for January 17th, 2024, and presents a unique opportunity to gain invaluable insights into the ongoing dialogue surrounding and legal education. Don't miss out on this enlightening discussion! Register Here: https://bit.ly/3NMjV4n

20/12/2023

We are delighted to announce that we have invited Prof Mattias Kumm as our speaker for an upcoming Public Law Lecture titled "Global , Great Power Competition, and Prerogative Power." Prof Mattias Kumm, the Inge Rennert Professor of Law at NYU School of Law, is a renowned expert specializing in basic issues and contemporary challenges in Global, European, and Comparative Public Law.
In this highly anticipated lecture, Prof Kumm will delve into the intricate relationship between the current structure of the international legal order and the rise of great power competition, exploring its effects on the existing order. Drawing from a global constitutionalist perspective, the analysis will critically reflect on the failures of the post-WWII international legal order in its practical institutional operation.
We would like to invite you to join us for this enlightening discussion, which is scheduled to take place on January 10th, 2024. This event presents a valuable opportunity to gain invaluable insights and actively contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding the international legal order and the rise of great power competition. To secure your attendance, please sign up using the link: https://bit.ly/47Y5cey.
We eagerly anticipate your participation and are excited to hear your unique perspectives on this crucial topic. If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

19/12/2023

We are thrilled to announce that we have invited Prof Saskia Hufnagel as our speaker for an upcoming CCPL talk titled "Non-Fungible Tokens: Art and Crime in a Virtual World." Prof. Saskia Hufnagel is a professor at the University of Sydney Law School, specializing in global law enforcement cooperation, transnational and comparative criminal justice, and art crime. Her research focuses on international and regional legal patterns of cross-border policing and the detection, investigation, and prosecution of art crimes in the UK, Germany, and Australia.
The market for Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) has experienced rapid development. However, NFTs have also become an attractive target for financial crimes. As is often the case with technological advancements, the potential for criminal activity is not far behind. Therefore, examining the criminal law aspects related to NFTs is crucial. This presentation explores the applicability of criminal law to NFT-related financial crime, focusing on current laws concerning theft and fraud, market offenses, and money laundering.
We cordially invite you to join us for this enlightening discussion, scheduled to take place on January 17th, 2024. This presents an excellent opportunity to gain valuable insights and actively contribute to the dialogue about NFT-related financial criminal law. If you want to attend, please sign up using the link: https://bit.ly/4aquDaq
We eagerly anticipate your participation and are excited to hear your perspectives. Should you have any inquiries or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for your attention, and we eagerly look forward to welcoming you to this event.

18/12/2023

We are delighted to announce that we have invited Prof Benjamin van Rooij and Shuyu Huang as our speakers for the upcoming CCPL talk on "Behavioural Jurisprudence in China? Comparing Social Scientific and Experiential Knowledge about Law’s Role in Preventing Crime."
Prof Benjamin van Rooij, a Professor of Law and Society at the Faculty of Law, University of Amsterdam, brings his expertise to the field. He also serves as the director of the Center for Law and Behavior at the University. Shuyu Huang, currently pursuing her PhD in Law at the University of Amsterdam, has made significant contributions as a founding member of the Center for Law and Behavior.
Behavioral jurisprudence shows that, for the law to reduce harmful and illegal behavior, it must embrace a holistic approach. During the talk, they will assess to what extent there is fertile ground for adopting such a holistic approach in Chinese criminal legal practice, drawing on in-depth interviews with Chinese prosecutors and police officers.
We invite you to join us for this enlightening discussion, which is scheduled to take place on 16th January 2024.
This is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable insights and contribute to the dialogue surrounding the implementation of behavioral jurisprudence in China. If you want to attend, please sign up using the link: https://bit.ly/43KDwQ. We anticipate your participation and are excited to hear your perspectives. Should you have any inquiries or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

05/12/2023

We are thrilled to extend our invitation to Prof Lao Dongyan for our upcoming public Zoom seminar. Prof Dongyan is a Professor of Law and Ph.D. supervisor at School of Law, Tsinghua University. During the seminar, she will delve into the intricate relationship between legislation and judiciary within the criminal law system, offering valuable insights and perspectives.
We are pleased to announce that the seminar will take place on December 8th. Please kindly sign up using the following link: https://bit.ly/42kwf3A
We look forward to your participation and the opportunity to engage in this enlightening discussion. Should you have any further inquiries, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

19/05/2023

A new report, jointly issued by CCPL of HKU, the Sexualities Research Programme at CUHK; and the Human Rights Law Program at the University of North Carolina School of Law, shows that Hong Kong public opinion on same-sex couples’ rights has changed markedly over the past ten years. Earlier this year, 60% of Hong Kong people said they supported same-sex marriage, while only 17% said they were not supportive, and 23% were neutral. In comparison, 50.4% supported same-sex marriage in 2017, and 38% did so in 2013.

香港大學法律學院比較法與公法研究中心、香港中文大學性小眾研究計劃、北卡羅來納大學法學院的人權法計劃聯合發表新報告，報告顯示香港公眾對同性伴侶權利的看法在過去十年間發生了顯著變化。 今年較早時間 60%香港市民表示支持同性婚姻，只有17%表示不支持，23%持中立態度。相比之下，2017 年有 50.4% 的人支持同性婚姻，2013 年有 38% 的人支持。

Read the Press Release and the Full Report here: https://ccpl.law.hku.hk/publication/submissions-to-government/.

A new report shows that Hong Kong public opinion on gay and le***an rights has changed markedly over the past ten years. In a survey earlier this year, 60% of Hong Kong people said they supported same-sex marriage. In comparison, only 38% supported same-sex marriage in 2013. The share of Hong Kong p...

09/11/2020

Prof David Law, member of CCPL Board of Management and CCPL Fellow, was interviewed on RTHK’s The Pulse for its “US Election Special III: Election Results Update, Chinese Americans’ Voters and Discussion”. The full interview is available here:

Hello, and welcome to The Pulse. Unprecedented, extraordinary, mind-boggling - choose your own adjective for describing the American elections. From the distance of Hong Kong, another adjective might be confusing. Coming to think of it, it’s pretty confusing stateside as well. So, we are going to ...