Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on May 30, the Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Speaking at a regular news briefing in Beijing, ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that high-level representatives from nearly 60 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, as well as about 20 international organizations including the United Nations, will attend the signing ceremony.

On the afternoon of May 30, a forum on international mediation will be held, focusing on the mediation of inter-state disputes and international investment and commercial disputes, Mao said.

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In 2022, China, along with nearly 20 other like-minded countries, initiated the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation. Through joint efforts, negotiations for the convention on its establishment have been completed, and it has been unanimously agreed that its headquarters will be located in Hong Kong.

According to Mao, the International Organization for Mediation aims to resolve disputes through mediation and will become the world's first intergovernmental legal organization dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation.

"It serves as an important mechanism to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter," she said.

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"We welcome more countries to actively support and participate in the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation, to enhance the synergy with existing international dispute resolution mechanisms, and to provide more options and avenues for the peaceful settlement of international disputes," Mao said, adding that this will help better uphold international fairness and justice.

Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok said the renovation, costing HK$460 million ($58.8 million), is set for completion by the middle of this year, with the IOMed expected to begin operations by late this year or early 2026, marking a new milestone for Hong Kong in international mediation.

Contact the writers at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com