China has made a significant move to strengthen its position in the field of international arbitration with the inauguration of the Hong Kong branch of the Shanghai International Arbitration Center, its first branch outside mainland China. This development, as noted by Hong Kong’s deputy justice secretary, Horace Cheung, during a speech on May 5, 2024, aims to solidify Hong Kong’s role in international law and dispute resolution within the Asia-Pacific region, while also expanding China’s influence in global arbitration and mediation.
Despite China’s ambitions, experts suggest that the nation still faces challenges in competing with well-established arbitration hubs like Hong Kong and Singapore. For more details, you can read the full article here.