Hong Kong to set up an international commercial court. Hong Kong government: Will fully support and cooperate in the preparatory work and related arrangements.

The Hong Kong SAR judiciary announced on May 28th its plans to establish the Hong Kong International Commercial Court as a specialized division under the High Court of Hong Kong, tasked with handling complex, high-value international and cross-border commercial disputes. On the same day, the Hong Kong SAR government expressed its welcome and support for the establishment of the Hong Kong International Commercial Court, marking a new milestone in the development of the rule of law in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong SAR judiciary stated that as international and cross-border commercial activities continue to develop in Hong Kong, there is an increasing demand for a specialized court to handle complex legal and factual issues. Resolving such disputes requires not only a high level of judicial expertise but also tailored court procedures and operational norms in order to enhance flexibility and efficiency. The establishment of the Hong Kong International Commercial Court is a response to this demand, aimed at upholding the core values and safeguards of Hong Kong's legal system based on common law. The court will be presided over by Hong Kong judges with extensive experience in commercial law, and may also invite senior judges or legal practitioners from other common law jurisdictions to handle cases on an ad-hoc basis. In appropriate cases, the court may invite assessors and experts to assist in handling cases in various professional fields. The goal of the Hong Kong judiciary is to establish the Hong Kong International Commercial Court within the next year. Preparatory work is currently underway, and relevant stakeholders, especially legal professionals, will be consulted in due course. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu stated, "The national '14th Five-Year Plan' clearly proposes to accelerate the development of the foreign-related legal system and capabilities, improve international commercial mediation, arbitration, and litigation mechanisms, support Hong Kong in consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial, shipping, trade center and an international aviation hub, and deepen the construction of international legal and dispute resolution service centers. As the only jurisdiction in the country to practice common law, Hong Kong's commercial laws and international commercial rules, based on common law, have always been trusted by the international business community and investors. The establishment of the Hong Kong International Commercial Court fully reflects Hong Kong's unique advantages of relying on the motherland and connecting the world under the principle of 'one country, two systems', contributing to the country's high-level opening-up, and further promoting the development of international commercial rules." Litigation, arbitration, and mediation are the three main ways to resolve disputes. While Hong Kong is actively developing international arbitration and mediation, litigation remains one of the most basic and indispensable methods of dispute resolution. As an international financial center, Hong Kong's judicial system is robust and well-established. The establishment of the Hong Kong International Commercial Court will provide a fair, just, and professional mechanism for handling high-value or complex commercial disputes involving cross-border transactions, international trade, finance, infrastructure, or investment projects. John Lee Ka-chiu said, "Hong Kong has always supported free trade and is the world's fifth-largest goods trading economy. The International Mediation Institute headquartered in Hong Kong has already opened. Given the current complex and ever-changing geopolitical landscape, there is a growing demand from economies for internationally credible platforms to resolve commercial disputes. The establishment of the Hong Kong International Commercial Court will strengthen Hong Kong's core capabilities and advantages in international litigation, complementing its existing international arbitration and mediation services, providing global enterprises or investors with diversified and comprehensive dispute resolution options, further enhancing the international competitiveness of Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution services, and promoting the development of international dispute resolution services in Hong Kong to a higher level. The Hong Kong SAR judiciary enjoys a high reputation internationally, and I firmly believe that the Hong Kong International Commercial Court, upholding the excellence and professionalism of the Hong Kong judiciary, will be highly respected internationally." The Secretary for Justice of the Hong Kong SAR government, Tin Gok-lung, a senior counsel, noted that the Hong Kong International Commercial Court will focus on handling complex and high-value international commercial disputes, with judges not only coming from Hong Kong but also including judges from other common law jurisdictions who have a reputation and experience in handling such cases. In addition, the court will draw on the practices of other international commercial courts to establish specific practice directions, simplify litigation procedures, and ensure that cases are handled in a timely and efficient manner. He said that the Hong Kong International Commercial Court meets the needs and expectations of the country, Hong Kong, and the international business community, and will bring new opportunities to the legal industry in Hong Kong. Tin Gok-lung said, "The SAR government has great confidence that the Hong Kong International Commercial Court, with its international background of judges and efficient litigation procedures, will not only make authoritative and credible judgments on the cases it handles, but its precedents will also make significant contributions to the development of international commercial law. This will further consolidate Hong Kong's reputation and position as a common law jurisdiction internationally, and better leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages under 'one country, two systems' in this area." The Hong Kong SAR government fully supports and cooperates with the preparatory work and arrangements for the Hong Kong International Commercial Court.