Hong Kong Plans to Launch International Commercial Court to Strengthen Its Position as a Cross-Border Dispute Resolution Hub

Hong Kong's judiciary has announced plans to establish a new Hong Kong International Commercial Court (HKICC), designed to resolve complex cross-border commercial disputes and reinforce the jurisdiction's credentials as a leading financial centre and international legal hub. The court is positioned as Hong Kong's latest institutional response to competition from other major arbitration and litigation centres, including Singapore, London, and Dubai, all of which have invested heavily in specialist commercial dispute resolution infrastructure over the past decade. The Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) — established in 2015 — is the most direct comparator, having built a significant caseload in cross-border commercial and corporate disputes. An international commercial court of this type typically allows parties to select the forum by agreement, applies a flexible procedural regime suited to multinational transactions, and may permit foreign lawyers to appear. For the City of London legal market, the development is relevant in two ways: first, as competitive context — London's Commercial Court and arbitration institutions (including the London Court of International Arbitration, LCIA) will track whether the HKICC draws disputes that might otherwise come to English courts or London-seated arbitration. Second, as an opportunity for UK-qualified lawyers and Magic Circle firms with Hong Kong offices to advise clients on the new forum. No further details on the court's jurisdiction, procedural rules, or launch timeline are available in the source beyond the headline announcement.

Sign up to read →