A PILOT program enabling legal practitioners from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions to practice in nine cities on the mainland is expected to be extended for another three years, according to a draft decision being mulled by China’s top legislature.

The draft decision on prolonging the pilot to Oct. 4, 2026 was submitted to an ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for review Monday.

In August 2020, the NPC Standing Committee announced a three-year pilot that legal practitioners from Hong Kong and Macao could become qualified to work in the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing after passing an exam. All of the cities are in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The move has been seen as a way to expedite the integration and development of the rule of law in the GBA as well as to expand the role of Hong Kong and Macao professionals, according to Minister of Justice He Rong. (China Daily)