Latest news with #HoraceCheung
South China Morning Post
25-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
New global mediation body could open in Hong Kong as early as end of 2025
An international mediation body to be inaugurated in Hong Kong and backed by mainland Chinese authorities could open its office as early as the end of this year, a senior official has said. Advertisement Legal experts said they expect it to burnish the city's status as a top jurisdiction to resolve disputes between states amid rising geopolitical tensions. Deputy Secretary for Justice Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan on Sunday gave an update on the opening schedule for the International Organisation for Mediation, days before China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, was expected to arrive for the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organisation for Mediation on May 30. Cheung said the body's Hong Kong headquarters, currently under renovation at the site of the old Wan Chai Police Station, could be open by the end of this year or the beginning of 2026. 'It marks the first time an intergovernmental international organisation sets foot in Hong Kong,' Cheung said on social media. Advertisement 'This will significantly elevate Hong Kong's international image as a global mediation hub and bring numerous benefits, including enhancements in its economy, political standing, cultural influence and international impact.'
South China Morning Post
25-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
New global mediation body could open in Hong Kong as early as end of 2025, official says
A new international mediation body to be inaugurated in Hong Kong and backed by mainland Chinese authorities could open its office as early as 'the end of this year', a senior official has said, with legal experts expecting it will elevate the city as a top jurisdiction to resolve disputes between states amid rising geopolitical tensions. Deputy Secretary for Justice Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan on Sunday gave an update on the opening schedule for the International Organisation for Mediation, days before China's top diplomat Wang Yi was expected to arrive for the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organisation for Mediation on May 30. Cheung said the Hong Kong headquarters of the body, which are currently under renovation at the site of the old Wan Chai Police Station, could be open by the end of this year or the beginning of 2026. 'It marks the first time an intergovernmental international organisation sets foot in Hong Kong. This will significantly elevate Hong Kong's international image as a global mediation hub and bring numerous benefits, including enhancements in its economy, political standing, cultural influence, and international impact,' Cheung said on social media. He also noted that the city's status as a mediation hub could lure more international organisations, NGOs and academic bodies to the city and yield more job opportunities for mediators, translators, researchers and administrative staff. Cheung also said he hoped the establishment of the headquarters would prompt more international meetings and exhibitions in Hong Kong and spur the development of the hotel, catering, transport and logistics industries.
RTHK
25-05-2025
- Business
- RTHK
IOMed to boost HK's mediation hub status: govt
IOMed to boost HK's mediation hub status: govt Horace Cheung says Hong Kong will become a hub of mediation. File photo: RTHK Deputy Justice Secretary Horace Cheung on Sunday said the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) in the city will strengthen Hong Kong's position as an international legal and dispute resolution centre. Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be in the SAR on Friday to attend a signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of The International Organization for Mediation. Cheung wrote on his social media page that IOMed will be the first and only international intergovernmental organisation to resolve international disputes by mediation, and will be on a par with the International Court of Justice and Permanent Court of Arbitration. He said Hong Kong will be a "hub of mediation" which will attract not only people from around the world who need to settle disputes, but also international groups, NGOs and academic institutions. This will further enhance Hong Kong's international position and popularity, and bring various benefits to the region, including the enhancement of the economy and politics, he said. The government official said that the opening of IOMed's headquarters will also lead to new employment opportunities, for instance, mediators and translators, and will boost the development of international legal and dispute resolution services. With more international events to be staged in the SAR, Cheung said he expects other sectors, including hotels, catering and logistics, will also see a boost in trade. High-level representatives from almost 60 countries and some 20 international groups will attend Friday's ceremony. Cheung said he expects IOMed's headquarters, at the site of the old Wan Chai Police Station, could open as soon as the end of the year.
RTHK
07-05-2025
- Business
- RTHK
'Middle East confident in HK's legal sector'
'Middle East confident in HK's legal sector' Horace Cheung says Middle Eastern countries have great trust in Hong Kong's legal system. Photo: RTHK Deputy Secretary for Justice Horace Cheung says Middle Eastern countries have confidence in Hong Kong's professional expertise and hope to utilise the city's legal sector for business and financial services. In an interview with RTHK's "Government and You", Cheung said the Middle East is a relatively new market for Hong Kong's legal sector. He added many Middle Eastern nations are keen to learn more about the Greater Bay Area. Last year, Cheung led a delegation to Saudi Arabia for the inaugural Riyadh International Disputes Week, and signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen legal cooperation between the two places. Cheung added that many Middle Eastern nations operate under common law, adding that it is a very effective legal system for international trade. "So, they have great trust in Hong Kong's common law system and hope that we can help promote business and financial development between Hong Kong, the mainland, and the Middle East," he said.
