Officials call for measures to enhance arbitration, dispute resolution services

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said he hopes the city’s legal professionals will proactively align with the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), which he said will unleash boundless prospects, especially in arbitration and dispute resolution services.

Speaking via video at the opening ceremony of the Law Society of Hong Kong’s new premises at The Center — the fifth-tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong — on Wednesday, Lee said the rule of law and the legal system are the “cornerstone of Hong Kong’s success”. He highlighted Hong Kong’s “unparalleled connectivity” with both the Chinese mainland and the world under the unique “one country, two systems” framework.

Lee said the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong’s proactive integration into and service of the overall national development, while also helping to deepen its development as an international legal and dispute resolution services center.

Lee said that Hong Kong is positioned at the heart of global dispute resolution, especially following the opening of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) headquarters in Hong Kong last year.

“The IOMed enhances our status as a premier venue for mediation, arbitration, and legal services, and opens new opportunities for our legal professionals to engage with the international community,” he added.

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Lee said the Law Society — the professional association for over 13,000 solicitors in Hong Kong — has been active in assisting mainland enterprises with their global expansion and supporting international investors who come to Hong Kong and the mainland.

“I look forward to the legal profession’s proactive alignment with the 15th Five-Year Plan, which will bring about boundless opportunities for the industry,” Lee said.

The ceremony also marked the 119th anniversary of the Law Society’s incorporation.

At the event, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok said that Hong Kong is further consolidating its role as a leading center for international legal and dispute resolution services, as supported by the 15th Five-Year Plan. He said he looks forward to closer collaboration between the Law Society and the Department of Justice, harnessing Hong Kong’s unique legal system under the “one country, two systems” framework to contribute to the country’s development.

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Court of Final Appeal Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung said that the Law Society’s move to larger premises will enable it to host more activities and conferences, including professional training, member engagement, education, and international exchanges, thereby further cementing Hong Kong’s status as an international legal hub.

Law Society President Roden Tong Man-lung said that the event drew guests from the legal, business, education and government sectors, showing broad public commitment to the rule of law and close collaboration with professional bodies.

Tong added that starting Monday, the Law Society will undertake a four-day duty visit to Beijing to explore ways to support national development and deepen legal collaboration.

“Under ‘one country, two systems’, we have entered a new phase amid rapid technological change, and the legal profession’s role in upholding the rule of law, judicial independence and public trust will become even more important,” he said.

Contact the writers at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com