Hong Kong to boost digital trade development through law reforms, says justice minister
Hong Kong's justice minister outlined plans to promote digital trade through legislative amendments and collaboration with UNCITRAL. The announcements came at Hong Kong Legal Week, which also features a legal technology festival focusing on AI governance and mediation law reforms.
Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice, Paul Lam, said the city is committed to promoting digital trade development, including through legislative amendments to facilitate trade. He made the remarks at an event marking the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), held as part of Hong Kong Legal Week.
More than 700 people from over 40 jurisdictions registered to participate in the event. Lam said UNCITRAL's contributions under the digital economy extended beyond drafting legal texts to reducing trade barriers and ensuring interoperability, building an ecosystem with legal certainty and digital empowerment for global commerce.
Lam added that Hong Kong, as an international trading hub, would also work with UNCITRAL through the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy to strengthen exchanges and talent training in the field.
Separately, the Hong Kong Legal Tech Festival began on the same day and runs for three days, featuring forums and exhibitions showcasing the latest developments in legal technology. A legal technology forum will be held on 5 November, where top experts in the field will exchange views on artificial intelligence governance and discuss how the industry can make good use of legal technology while upholding integrity, trust and professional responsibility.
A Hong Kong Mediation Lecture will also take place on the same evening, including discussion of the statutory functions of mediator appointment under proposed legislative amendments.
