BEIJING — China has started a three-year pilot program to enable law practitioners from Hong Kong and Macao to practice law in nine cities of Guangdong province on the mainland.

Qualified law practitioners from these regions should take a legal professional qualification test before applying for a certificate to practice law in the nine cities in Guangdong, according to guidelines issued by the General Office of the State Council.

A document containing the guidelines was released after the 13th National People's Congress Standing Committee voted at its 21st session in August to adopt the decision to authorize the State Council to carry out the trial work in the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing, which are all within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Specifying the procedures for applying for the test and certificate, the document said certified lawyers can provide legal service regarding specified civil and commercial affairs using the mainland's applicable laws in the nine cities.