Justice Secretary Lin Ding-guo stated today (the 22nd) that the Department of Justice has been committed to fostering the development of international legal and dispute-resolution organizations in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and to strengthening exchanges and cooperation with relevant institutions. He briefed the Legislative Council’s Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services on the latest developments regarding the establishment of the International Mediation Institute and the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The UNIDROIT Asia-Pacific Liaison Office will officially commence operations by the end of the year.

He posted on social media, stating that the 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly supports the International Mediation Institute in playing a more effective role. The International Mediation Institute opened in Hong Kong last October and, within just a few months, has already facilitated the settlement of an international commercial dispute, demonstrating its practical effectiveness. The Iranian Ambassador to China signed the Convention on the International Mediation Court in Beijing today, bringing the total number of signatory states to 44 and further broadening its international representation. Although the HKSAR Government will not be directly involved in the operations of the International Mediation Institute, it will provide full support and cooperation for its development, including by making additional space available in the Hong Kong International Law Building currently under preparation. The HKSAR Government is also committed to strengthening promotional efforts; for example, with the support of the Department of Justice, the International Mediation Institute successfully hosted the Global Mediation Summit during Mediation Week 2026. The HKSAR Government is also exploring opportunities to promote the International Mediation Institute at this year’s Belt and Road Forum, the APEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting, and Hong Kong Legal Week, with a view to jointly positioning Hong Kong as a global hub for mediation.

He further shared that the opening ceremony of UNIDROIT’s Asia-Pacific Liaison Office is tentatively scheduled to take place during Hong Kong Legal Week in early November this year, with the office expected to commence full operations by the end of the year. The HKSAR Government is currently making every effort to advance the administrative arrangements for the establishment of the Liaison Office in Hong Kong. The Department of Justice is preparing office space for the Liaison Office at the Hong Kong Law Hub in Central (the former French Mission Building). Related global recruitment efforts also commenced this month. With the Liaison Office established in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, local legal professionals will have greater opportunities to engage with the Private Law Association’s work of particular significance. They will also be able to deepen academic exchanges through capacity-building initiatives, further enriching the experience of Hong Kong’s legal talent.

Lin Dingguo stated that the International Mediation Institute has officially opened in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the UNIDROIT Liaison Office is also slated to open soon. These twin developments underscore Hong Kong’s strength as an international center for law and dispute resolution, while highlighting its unique advantage as a bridge between East and West. Looking ahead, the Department of Justice will continue to deepen its cooperation with international legal organizations, attract top legal talent from around the world to Hong Kong, strengthen the promotion of the HKSAR’s leading position as an international center for legal services and dispute resolution, and consistently create new opportunities for the local legal profession.