Hong Kong justice chief outlines legal hub, AI governance plans in five-year blueprint
The Secretary for Justice briefed lawmakers on 5 October 2026 on the legal measures in Hong Kong's first five-year plan and 2026 policy address. Key initiatives include boosting arbitration and mediation, advancing Greater Bay Area rule alignment, and introducing AI governance including a task force
The Secretary for Justice told the Legislative Council's Panel on Justice and Law Affairs on 5 October 2026 that the government would deepen Hong Kong's status as an international legal and dispute resolution centre, as outlined in the city's first five-year plan and the 2026 policy address.
On mediation, the secretary noted that the International Mediation Institute, headquartered in Hong Kong since October 2025, had grown to 47 signatory states and one acceding state to its founding convention, with 18 contracting parties as of September 2026. The government would support the institute by prioritising its use in international commercial government contracts and treaties. Separately, the government secured a Hong Kong office for the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, its first outside Rome, set to open during Hong Kong Law Week in November 2026. A community mediation pilot scheme would train property managers, and a bill would be tabled mid-October to let the Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association appoint mediators when parties disagree.
In arbitration, the government launched a one-month stakeholder consultation on amendments to the Arbitration Ordinance last week, aiming to complete changes within 2027. A sports dispute resolution pilot scheme would position Hong Kong as a centre for sports arbitration. The Hong Kong International Legal Talent Training Institute would be expanded to foster exchanges with Belt and Road jurisdictions. The proposed International Legal Affairs Building, planned for a site in Wan Chai, would seek planning permission in the fourth quarter of 2026, with a funding request to the legislature expected by mid-2027 and construction to start by end-2027.
To strengthen the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, the government would establish a task force in the first quarter of 2027, led by Deputy Secretary for Justice Dr. Eric Cheung, to accelerate rule alignment and mechanism connectivity, using Shenzhen as a pilot. An updated directory of Hong Kong legal service providers for overseas expansion would be launched this year, and a Greater Bay Area arbitration and mediation standards promotion platform would be set up in 2026.
On artificial intelligence, the secretary said Hong Kong has no specific AI law but would form a cross-departmental working group to review legal support for AI use. This includes a task force on children's social media use and AI interaction risks, and a review of liability for AI-caused harm. The Law Reform Commission's sub-committee on computer crime is also examining laws on cyber-dependent crimes. A short-term subsidy scheme would be launched by end-2026 to help small law firms and junior barristers purchase legal tech solutions.
