Hong Kong’s John Lee urges international collaboration to combat rise in technology crimes

Global collaboration is needed to tackle the rise in technology crimes and the challenges it poses to Hong Kong’s legal sector, the city’s leader and its justice minister have said at a high-level conference attended by foreign prosecutors.

A leading Chinese prosecutor also called on his foreign peers to gain a better understanding of the legal achievements attained by mainland China and Hong Kong.

The officials presented their views on Thursday at the opening ceremony of the 11th Asia and Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) held in Hong Kong, with the theme of “Effective Prosecution Service in the Technological Age”.

It has been 20 years since Hong Kong last hosted a regional conference of the IAP. Nearly 100 high-profile prosecutors and senior legal professionals from 25 countries and regions had joined this time.

“In Hong Kong, a highly-developed international financial centre where technology is easily accessible by all, criminals are increasingly turning to the use of cryptocurrencies, virtual assets and technology in committing traditional crime,” Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in his opening remarks.

“Crimes executed solely through technology are also on the rise.

“Cross-jurisdictional sharing of best practices and experience gained can make a decided difference in tackling technology crime, on an international level.”