The law office jointly run by firms from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao will integrate scattered legal services and facilitate business operations in Hengqin, said a national political adviser in Beijing on Tuesday.

Paula Hsiao Yun Ling, a senior partner of the Macao-based law firm Rato, Ling, Lei & Cortés –Advogados and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).[Photo/China.org.cn]

The Area, a part of the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone established in 2014, has attracted a great number of investors from the neighboring Macao and Hong Kong special administrative regions, which has resulted in inconvenience in solving legal disputes, as the three regions follow different law systems, said Paula Hsiao Yun Ling, a senior partner of the Macao-based law firm Rato, Ling, Lei & Cortés -Advogados (Lektou).

After the establishment of the new law office, people can enjoy one-stop legal services in Hengqin instead of rushing between law firms in the three regions, said Ling, who is also a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) that provides advice to the nation's top legislative body, the National People's Congress (NPC).

Practical problems stemmed from law differences in the three regions could be solved under specific circumstances based on mutual trust between the three sides, Ling said.

Hengqin has taken many measures to improve the business environment and promote rule-based administration. For example, tribunal practice was cancelled, and Macao residents were invited to be jurors in civilian lawsuits involving Macao people. "These measures are very good," Ling said.

On Feb. 15, the Hengqin Area launched the first law office jointly run by firms from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. The office is expected to lift the barrier that previously hampered legal service cooperation with Hong Kong, Macao and even foreign countries.

Lektou is one of the participants of the cross-border law office.

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