Vietnamese Deputy Prosecutor General Trần Hải Quân and Hong Kong Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạc Thị Luyện

HONG KONG — Việt Nam and Hong Kong (China) signed a mutual legal assistance agreement in criminal matters in Hong Kong on Tuesday, marking a new milestone in bilateral cooperation.

The deal was signed by Vietnamese Deputy Prosecutor General Trần Hải Quân and Hong Kong Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung.

Once ratified, the agreement will provide a key legal framework for the two sides to cooperate more effectively in combating crime, particularly transnational organised crime.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Tang said both Hong Kong and Việt Nam are active partners in global crime prevention efforts, adding that the agreement represents a significant step forward in legal cooperation and underscores Hong Kong’s role under the “one country, two systems” framework.

Quân described the agreement as both legally and practically significant amid deepening international integration, noting it will facilitate closer coordination in investigations, evidence gathering, and handling of criminal cases with foreign elements.

The agreement is also expected to enhance efforts against transnational and high-tech crime while better protecting the rights and legitimate interests of citizens and organisations of both sides, he added.

The signing reflects Việt Nam’s strong commitment to strengthening international judicial cooperation and is set to further bolster ties with Hong Kong, contributing to a more favourable environment for investment, trade, and exchanges.

Earlier the same day, Quân paid a courtesy call on Tang, with both sides highlighting the importance of the agreement in strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Later, he had a meeting with Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Paul Lam, during which the two sides discussed broader cooperation and agreed to expedite domestic procedures for the agreement’s entry into force. They also suggested measures for enhancing the effectiveness of legal assistance in criminal matters, training collaboration, experience sharing, and professional exchanges.

On Monday, the delegation visited the Vietnamese Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau, where Consul General Lê Đức Hạnh briefed them on the situation of the Vietnamese community in the two special administrative regions.

Following Hong Kong, the delegation is set to visit Macau for further working sessions with local prosecutorial, security, and judicial authorities. — VNA/VNS