Hong Kong Judiciary has officially announced its plan to establish a dedicated "Hong Kong International Commercial Court" (HKICC) under the High Court to adjudicate international commercial disputes involving high claim amounts and complex cross-border elements. This initiative aims to further consolidate Hong Kong's position as an international legal and dispute resolution hub in the Asia-Pacific region and align it with international commercial courts in cities such as Singapore and London.
The proposed court will adopt English as the language of proceedings and will allow parties to engage foreign lawyers to appear in court, so as to increase its appeal to multinational corporations. The Judiciary has drawn reference from the operational models of major international commercial courts, hoping that a more flexible, professional, and efficient adjudication mechanism will alleviate the caseload of the existing High Court, while providing better quality judicial services for cross‑border commercial activities.
The report noted that the specific rules and structure of the new court are currently being formulated to officially commence case hearings in 2027. This initiative is seen as an important milestone in the internationalisation of Hong Kong's legal system, and is expected to further consolidate Hong Kong's role as a rule‑of‑law hub in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
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