Secretary for Justice Paul Lam addressed the 16th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference in Brunei on October 22, 2026, detailing Hong Kong’s legal strategies against cybercrime and calling for regional law enforcement cooperation.
Regional prosecutors and senior law enforcement officials gathered in Jerudong, Brunei, for the judicial summit dedicated to safeguarding youth in the digital age. The conference centered on the theme Balancing Legal Frameworks and International Cooperation to Protect Children in the Digital Age
and brought together delegations from China and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Hong Kong Details Cyber Protections
Addressing the plenary session, the Secretary for Justice outlined Hong Kong’s responses to emerging risks.
The justice secretary pointed to judicial precedents establishing sentencing principles for digital offenses. The Court of Appeal emphasized in a ruling earlier this year that naive and impressionable individuals face a growing risk of being manipulated into danger via social networking and online dating sites. Alongside these measures, Hong Kong published its First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development on September 16, 2026, in alignment with the National 15th Five-Year Plan.
Delegates Expand Cross-Border Operations
Because online child exploitation transcends physical borders, delegates emphasized that domestic legal frameworks alone are not enough.
International partnerships have yielded direct operational results, with the Hong Kong Police Force actively deepening international co-operation given the transnational nature of online child sexual exploitation. Back in 2025, the Force became a member of the International Child Sexual Exploitation database managed by INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization)—an investigative and intelligence network using algorithms and data sharing spanning upward of 70 jurisdictions to track down both perpetrators and victims.
Delegations Sign Joint Declaration
The conference in Brunei concluded with the signing of the Joint Declaration of the 16th China-ASEAN Prosecutors General Conference. Myanmar’s delegation, led by Union Minister and Union Attorney General Dr. Thida Oo, outlined national protection efforts under the Child Rights Law 2019 while addressing online scams and human trafficking, joining China’s Prosecutor General Ying Yong and prosecutors general from ASEAN member states.
During the summit, Paul Lam participated in bilateral meetings alongside Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Chau and government counsel to deepen working relationships across legal jurisdictions. Lam departed on October 19.