Hong Kong justice chief hails Beijing arbitration centre’s first year
Hong Kong’s justice chief addressed a first-anniversary event for the Beijing International Arbitration Centre’s Hong Kong branch, praising its progress in handling cross-border cases and its role in strengthening legal ties between Beijing and Hong Kong. She also outlined planned amendments to Hong
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Justice on Wednesday praised the Beijing International Arbitration Centre’s (BIAC) Hong Kong branch on its first anniversary, highlighting its role in deepening legal and arbitration cooperation between Beijing and Hong Kong.
Speaking at a review and outlook event in Hong Kong, the secretary said the branch – BIAC’s first overseas office – had “steadily advanced” its work over the past year. She noted that it had accepted its first case, which she described as a sign of trust in its professional capability and a step towards substantive operations in handling cross-border and international disputes.
The secretary said the branch had organised professional events for the legal and business sectors, and had strengthened ties with professional groups and enterprises in Hong Kong and elsewhere. She said the department maintained close contact with BIAC, and thanked it for supporting the promotion of Hong Kong’s legal and dispute-resolution services.
She outlined Hong Kong’s advantages as a common-law jurisdiction and a preferred venue for international arbitration. The city’s arbitration framework is based on the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law’s Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration. Her department had completed stakeholder consultation on 27 October on proposed amendments to the Arbitration Ordinance, with a bill to be submitted to the Legislative Assembly early next year for passage within 2025.
The secretary also highlighted the Arrangement on Mutual Assistance in保全 (preservation) Measures between the mainland and Hong Kong. As of September, Hong Kong arbitration bodies had handled 218 applications under the arrangement, with approved property preservation applications involving assets totalling more than 32 billion yuan (about HK$35.8 billion). She said this demonstrated the systemic advantages of “one country, two systems” in cross-border dispute resolution.
The event also saw the launch of the English edition of a selected-case compilation by BIAC, a signing ceremony for cooperation partners, and the appointment of Hong Kong and Macau arbitrators. The secretary invited participants to Hong Kong Legal Week, which runs until 6 November.
