The First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) (“Hong Kong’s Five-Year Plan”) and Policy Addresses
Hong Kong’s Five-Year Plan and recent Policy Addresses reiterate the Hong Kong SAR Government’s emphasis on the deepening of mediation culture locally, positioning Hong Kong as an international dispute resolution services centre.
I. Hong Kong’s Five-Year Plan, paragraph 2.59 of Part 2
“We will better leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages as a common law jurisdiction under “One Country, Two Systems” to deepen Hong Kong’s status as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre. We will enhance our diversified and highlevel dispute resolution services, including litigation, arbitration, and mediation, etc.”
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II. Policy Addresses
(i) Policy Address 2026, paragraph 155, 159 and 167
“The Government will continue promoting “mediate first” to resolve disputes, including continuing to implement the incorporation of mediation clauses in all government contracts.”
“The DoJ has accepted the seven recommendations made by the Working Group on Mediation Regulatory System. The Government will introduce a bill into the LegCo by the end of the year, allowing the parties involved to apply for the appointment of mediators by the Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association Limited when they fail to reach a consensus on the choice of mediators.”
“The Government will continue to implement, in collaboration with the legal and sports sectors, the Pilot Scheme on Sports Dispute Resolution, exploring cooperation opportunities with international and regional sports associations to develop Hong Kong into an international sports disputeresolution centre.”
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(ii) Policy Address 2025, paragraph 128
“Hong Kong maintains a robust legal system highly aligned with international standards, and is also the only place in the world implementing a bilingual common law system in both Chinese and English. We will step up the promotion of legal services in Hong Kong and deepen our mediation culture, reinforcing our positions as an international legal hub and the Capital of Mediation.”
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(iii) Policy Address 2023, paragraph 77(iii)
“The Government will continue to develop Hong Kong into a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region. We will…deepen the mediation culture – Mediation is generally more affordable than commencing legal proceedings. The Government will enhance the mediation system by, for instance, strengthening the regulatory system on the accreditation and disciplinary matters of the mediation profession, incorporating standard mediation clauses in government contracts, and encouraging private organisations to incorporate similar clauses in their contracts.”