Hong Kong’s rise as a global dispute resolution centre is due to China’s reforms, Greater Bay Area development, legal expert says

The ongoing opening up of China and the development of the Greater Bay Area have seen an increasing number of companies conduct arbitration or mediation in Hong Kong, burnishing the city’s status as a leading international dispute resolution centre, according to a legal expert.

The number of arbitration cases in Hong Kong reached 344 last year, an increase of 24 per cent from 277 in 2021, and 8 per cent higher than in 2020, according to data from the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre.

“In terms of arbitration or mediation, [the trend] to settle disputes in Hong Kong is on the rise,” said Christopher To Wing, a barrister, who has handled mediation and arbitration in the city since the 1990s.

Hong Kong ranked third globally as the most preferred location for arbitration after London and Singapore, according to a survey of 1,200 participants conducted by the School of International Arbitration at Queen Mary University of London in partnership with law firm White & Case in 2021.

“Over the past decade, Hong Kong has shown the world that its legal system and talent in arbitration and mediation can help the international business community to solve their disputes here,” said Robert Lee Wai-wang, the lawmaker for the financial services sector and CEO of local brokerage Grand Capital Holdings.