By Carrie Lam, Chief Executive, Hong Kong SAR.

Over the years, I have visited San Francisco, Tokyo and New York. They are the world’s most celebrated bay areas. Soon enough, they will find company and competition in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. 

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is a key development strategy in the People’s Republic of China as it enters a new era of deepening reform and opening up.  Comprising the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao and nine prosperous municipalities in southern China’s Guangdong Province, the GBA’s collective GDP in 2018 was US$1.6 trillion. Covering an area of 56 000 square kilometers, the GBA accommodates the world’s most intensive cluster of ports and airports, handling 66.5 million TEUs and 200 million air passengers a year. With a combined population of about 71 million, the GBA is both a manufacturing hub and a huge market for quality goods and services.  

Beyond the numbers, the GBA’s wide-ranging strengths, diversified markets and far-reaching promise herald a new economic era for Hong Kong. Innovation and technology, advanced manufacturing, high-end services, trade, transport and more will drive this bay area economy and meet the growing middle class’aspirations. And Hong Kong will be at its fast-beating economic heart.

The Outline Development Plan for the Greater Bay Area announced in February emphasises coordinated economic development, complementing the varying expertise of each of its 11 member cities. Hong Kong will lead the way in several key sectors, from financial and professional services to trade and transport.  Hong Kong will also play a vital role in innovation and technology, in building the GBA into the Silicon Valley of the East.

The free flow of people, goods, capital and information is critical to the success of the GBA. That means ensuring superior physical and administrative connectivity and people-to-people bonds. Our infrastructural connectivity has been significantly enhanced, thanks to last year’s opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. Both reduce travelling time considerably between Hong Kong and key GBA centres. For example, a ride on the high speed train from Hong Kong’s West Kowloon to Shenzhen’s Futian, both being business hubs, takes a mere 14 minutes.  

Later this year, a new land-based border crossing, the seventh between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, will open. Outside Hong Kong, in addition to the Humen Bridge and the Nansha Bridge, opened in 1997 and this year respectively, another central artery across the Pearl River Delta, the Shenzhen-ZhongshanLink, is under construction. These infrastructure projects will contribute to a fast and efficient one-hour living circle within the GBA. 

Apart from infrastructural connectivity, the GBA’s Outline Development Plan envisages ambitious objectives to develop an international innovation and technology hub, a globally competitive modern industrial system, as well as a quality living circle embracing innovation, ecological conservation, culture and leisure.  As the most open and cosmopolitan city in the GBA, enjoying the unique advantages of “One Country, Two Systems”, Hong Kong has much to offer. These in turn will inject new impetus to Hong Kong’s economic development.   

In the end, of course, the GBA must look outward if it is to compete with the world. Hong Kong’s renowned connectivity – underpinned by the network of HKSARG overseas economic and trade offices in Brussels, London, Berlin, Geneva, New York, Washington DC, San Francisco, Toronto, Sydney, Tokyo, Singapore, Jakarta and Bangkok, as well as offices of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council around the world, will make that happen.

Furthermore, leveraging on the high degree of autonomy under “One Country, Two Systems”, Hong Kong maintains and develops relations and concludes and implements agreements with other economies. For example, Hong Kong signed its eighth free trade agreement (FTA) with Australia earlier this year. More FTAs will follow. In all, Hong Kong has inked more than 250 binding bilateral agreements with some 70 nations. They cover a wide variety of areas, from investment promotion and protection, to air services, avoidance of double taxation and legal accords. 

“One Country, Two Systems” also enables Hong Kong’s adherence to common law. Rule of law and an independent judiciary have been critical to Hong Kong’s standing as Asia’s world city and our contribution to the success of the GBA. Indeed, the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2018 topped Hong Kong in Asia for judicial independence. It’s why so many notable regional and global organisations specialising in legal and dispute resolution services maintain offices in Hong Kong. 

Later this year, Hong Kong will usher in a legal hub in the heart of our Central Business District. Offices have been set aside there to accommodate these organisations alongside our Department of Justice. That enhances the synergy and operational efficiency of our legal services sector, and underscores the role Hong Kong will take on as the GBA’s centre for international legal and dispute resolution services. 

If the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is just beginning to make its name, its long-term promise is big, bold and welcoming. I invite institutions and companies, entrepreneurs and start-ups, to join us – to connect and excel in Hong Kong, where we are building a greater future. 

I am delighted to return to The Hague for another tour of action, this time as the President of the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), the successor institution to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

It has been a challenging and rewarding few months for me in my new role, since taking over the leadership of the Mechanism on 19 January 2019. The Mechanism is a unique institution, with branches in Arusha, Tanzania as well as The Hague, and staff working in different time zones. Moreover, our focus is split equally between the residual judicial matters arising out of two very different conflicts, namely the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the conflicts during the 1990s in the former Yugoslavia.

These residual responsibilities do not merely mean completing pre-existing cases while intensifying the search for the final ICTR fugitives, though no one doubts the importance of these core functions. Our mandate also focuses on protecting the thousands of victims and witnesses who provided evidence to the Tribunals or the Mechanism, lending assistance to national jurisdictions upon request, supervising the enforcement of sentences of convicted persons, and preserving and managing the archives of these institutions.

I already knew of these unique circumstances before assuming the Presidency, of course, because I have been a Judge of the Mechanism since its inception in 2012, and was a Judge of the ICTY for many years before that. Nevertheless, I have been amazed at the extent to which the Mechanism differs from its predecessor institutions. Fortunately, my experience as the final President of the ICTY helped me to hit the ground running as soon as I assumed the Presidency of the Mechanism earlier this year.

This is an important time for the international rule of law, and I am both honoured and humbled to be entrusted with the overall execution of the Mechanism’s mandate. The extent of the world’s yearning for justice was made clear to me yet again this April, when I conducted my first mission to Rwanda in my new capacity. I was deeply moved while visiting memorial sites and speaking with survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi.

A few weeks later, I travelled to Croatia to help launch an exhibition on the ethnic cleansing that took place in Ahmići, central Bosnia, over 26 years ago. These occasions reinforced to me that, while international justice takes time and costs money, we must never forget the lessons from previous generations, who have seen first-hand that the alternative is so much worse. The Mechanism plays an important role in delivering justice, and I am determined to do my utmost to maximize its impact in this critical area. 

As many in the diplomatic community may already know, I will be focusing on three main priorities during my Presidency. First and foremost is to ensure that the residual judicial proceedings are conducted efficiently and in a timely manner, while maintaining the highest standards of due process and fair trial rights. The Mechanism is acutely aware in this respect that the Security Council created it to be “a small, temporary and efficient structure, whose functions and size will diminish over time”. Indeed, the temporary nature of our institution will continue to present challenges, particularly when coupled with budgetary constraints that impact the staff and resources at the Mechanism’s disposal. 

Secondly, I am striving to enhance a unified work culture at the Mechanism which benefits not only from a harmonization of practices and procedures at our two branches, but also from a shared vision as to the best and most efficient ways to accomplish our goals. Such inter-branch coordination is crucial for the Mechanism to fulfil its mandate, and I am determined to conduct frequent visits to the Arusha branch throughout my Presidency in order to interact personally with staff and stakeholders there. 

My third key priority is fostering a positive work environment and encouraging high staff morale and performance. This is never straightforward and it becomes more challenging with significant budget cuts across all areas, especially when staff members know that the institution is temporary in nature. Many staff members lost their jobs last year, and many more are concerned about job security in the near future. I want to do my best to motivate and take care of the Mechanism’s most precious asset.

In line with this third priority, I am actively participating in the International Gender Champions hub in The Hague and have not been shy in expressing my full support for female empowerment and gender parity at all levels of our institution.

But the Mechanism’s work cannot stop there. Like all organisations, the Mechanism is not immune from harassment, and under my leadership we are intensifying efforts to stamp out any prohibited conduct that may occur. In light of my strong belief in these issues, I would encourage other leaders to take action to foster gender equality throughout their organisations and the international community as a whole. Certainly from the Mechanism’s perspective, our efforts towards gender equality go hand-in-hand with the ability to recruit and retain excellent staff and thereby function most efficiently.

The Mechanism will have an enduring impact on international peace and justice, so long as we all remain committed to these causes. As its President, I deeply appreciate the assistance and cooperation of States and other key stakeholders around the globe, and I will continue to rely on the support of the international community in carrying out the vital mission that it entrusted both to me and to the Mechanism.

By Ngo Thi Hoa, Ambassador of Viet Nam to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

At the invitation of H.E Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, H.E. Mr. Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, paid an official visit to Viet Nam on 9 April 2019, accompanied by Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Cora van Nieuwenhuizen; Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Marjolijn Sonnema; State Secretary for Finance Menno Snel; President of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers Hans de Boer, and 75 leading businesses with more than 100 members.

Although having to cut short his visit (previously scheduled from 9 to 11 April) for attending the emergency EU Summit on Brexit in Brussels, Prime Minister Mark Rutte had a tight and effective working program in Viet Nam. More specifically, the Dutch Prime Minister held official talks with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, met with General Secretary, State President Nguyen Phu Trong and President of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, presided with Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue over the meeting with the CEOs of large enterprises investing and operating in Viet Nam, and finally attended and a sustainable fashion show held by the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Viet Nam before leaving Ha Noi on the late night of 9 April.

On the sidelines of the visit, many related Conferences, seminars, meetings and connecting events among businesses and governmental leaders of the two countries were held such as the 7^th Session of the Inter-governmental Committee of Vietnam – Netherlands on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management, the Seminar between the Government and businesses in the agricultural sector, the Workshop on developing offshore wind power, the Water Business Dialogue, the 3^rd Vietnam – Netherlands Civil Aviation Conference etc.

During all the meetings and talks, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and the Vietnamese leaders agreed that the friendship and cooperation relationship between the two countries have been developing positively, effectively and dynamically on all fields, especially in the economic sector when the Netherlands is now the second largest European trading partner of Viet Nam (with bilateral turnover in 2018 reaching 7.8 billion USD) and the largest European investor in Viet Nam (with total registered FDI amounting to 9.55 billion USD).

They noted with satisfaction the fact that the Strategic Partnership on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management and on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security have been implemented by specific programmes and projects and considered these to be the continued focus of bilateral cooperation in the future.

In the spirit of mutual trust and understanding, the two Prime Ministers discussed many international and regional issues of mutual concern; affirmed to continue to cooperate closely and support each other at multilateral fora such as the United Nations and the ASEAN-EU cooperation; highlighted  the importance of peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in the South China Sea, while underlining the principle of legal supremacy and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The two Prime Ministers agreed to upgrade the Viet Nam-Netherlands relation to a comprehensive partnership.

After the talks, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Dutch counterpart signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Viet Nam and the Government of the Netherlands on the Cooperation on the Agricultural Transition in the Mekong River Delta, and witnessed the signing ceremony of important documents, including the Agreement on Customs Cooperation and Assistance; the Joint Declaration on Adaptation and Vietnam’s engagement as convening country in the Global Commission on Adaptation; the Letter of Intent on Unlocking the Land Potential for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security; and the Letter of Intent on the cooperation in the field of Land registration and Land information management. On this occasion, the two sides issued a Joint Statement on the results of the official visit to Viet Nam by the Dutch Prime Minister.

On behalf of Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Cora Van Nieuwenhuizen led the Dutch government and business delegation to pay working visits in Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City, with many diverse activities such as meeting with local leaders, exploring investment projects of water management, coastal erosion and flood prevention, attending business dialogues and signing ceremonies of cooperation documents among the business community.

From the aforementioned contents, it can be said that the visit to Viet Nam by Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his delegation has been successful, achieving many positive results in the following key aspects:

Firstly, to contribute to strengthen the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries in an efficient and sustainable manner, thereby meeting common needs and interests of both sides: Most highlighting is the decision to upgrade the Vietnam – Netherlands relationship to a comprehensive partnership, with a view to effectively harnessing their cooperation potentials, enabling the bilateral ties to expand and deepen with greater dynamism in all dimensions in the years to come.

This is a significant milestone, coinciding with the commemoration of 46^th anniversary of diplomatic relation establishment between Viet Nam and the Netherlands (9/4/1973-9/4/2019).

Secondly, to promote bilateral economic, investment and trade relations on the basis of potentials, advantages and development needs: Within the framework of the visit, 23 business agreements were signed between the two sides, covering a wide range of fields such as circular economy, agriculture, renewable energy, environmental protection, urban development and building of smart cities, ocean economy, sea transport, animal husbandry, food safety management, climate change adaptation, water quality, sports, education, football etc.

In the coming period, the expected signing and ratification of the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) will provide favourable impetuses for the Vietnam-EU investment and business environment in general as well as that of Vietnam and the Netherlands in particular.

Thirdly, to contribute to tightening friendship and people-to-people relations between localities of the two countries: Over the past years, Viet Nam and the Netherlands have established effective partnerships between provinces and cities such as Hanoi – Amsterdam, Ho Chi Minh City – Rotterdam, Binh Duong Province – Emmen and Eindhoven, Vinh Long – Gelderlands, An Giang – Oss etc. Through the working visits of the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Cora Van Nieuwenhuizen to localities of Viet Nam, the two sides agreed to jointly deploy many specific cooperation activities, especially in the fields that the Netherlands owns vast experience and advantages such as urban planning, environment, water management, industrial and urban waste disposal, agricultural technology development etc.