The recent establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) in Hong Kong is a major milestone for the special administrative region that will allow it to play a more prominent role as a global hub for mediation and dispute settlement. In the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, said in a speech that China has been committed to resorting to peaceful means to settle international disputes and conflicts. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu weighed in, saying that Hong Kong’s well-respected legal system and a rich of pool of legal and dispute resolution professionals help to position Hong Kong as a preferred destination for dispute settlement. Over 30 countries, including Pakistan, Belarus, Serbia and Venezuela, across Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa have signed the Convention. Representatives from more than 50 countries and 20 international bodies, including the United Nations, also joined the ceremony.
The establishment of the IOMed marks a significant breakthrough on mediation for resolving disputes from different nations and jurisdictions. It also solidifies Hong Kong’s positioning at the forefront of mediation. China has welcomed more nations to join the IOMed, fostering the shared aspirations of all countries for peace and common development.
As a means of dispute resolution, mediation has become a notable example of China’s peaceful diplomacy. Wang accentuated in his speech that the establishment of the IOMed has created a mediation mechanism to resolve disputes and conflicts beyond a “zero-sum” mindset, fostering the peaceful settlement of disputes and enhancing relations between countries. China has upheld the UN Charter, which clearly states that parties to any dispute should seek a solution by mediation, arbitration, or other peaceful means of their own choice. Indeed, China has pursued economic and trading cooperation with countries, particularly in the Global South, in recent years. Based on the white paper titled “China’s National Security in the New Era” released in mid-May this year, the Central Government is dedicated to working together with countries from around the world to uphold regional peace and common development, injecting stability into a volatile and unstable world.
The establishment of the IOMed in Hong Kong provides a new pathway for countries and enterprises from around the world to resolve disputes through mediation. As epitomized by Wang, the establishment of the IOMed fills a gap in mechanisms focused on mediation-based dispute resolution. China and some 20 countries jointly launched the initiative to establish the IOMed in 2022. With widespread recognition in the international community, the IOMed is the world's first inter-governmental legal organization specializing in resolving international disputes via mediation. The IOMed stands alongside the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration of the UN in The Hague. The IOMed can handle a broad scope of disputes, including disputes between countries, those concerning a country and investors of another country, and other international business and investment disputes. All parties can reach mutually acceptable agreement through the IOMed and mitigate the cost on mounting litigations.
The establishment of the IOMed marks a significant breakthrough in mediation mechanisms for resolving disputes from different nations and jurisdictions. Hong Kong strives to live up to the country’s expectation to be a global hub for mediation. China welcomes more nations to join the IOMed, supporting any party or nation to settle disputes and conflicts via mediation, thereby building a world with long-lasting peace and amicable friendship
Setting up of the IOMed in Hong Kong demonstrates that the SAR can play a global role in mediation under the principle of “one country, two systems”. Wang highlighted in his speech that Hong Kong was chosen as the IOMed’s headquarters for its distinctive advantages in having a common law system and friendly business environment. With the Central Government’s staunch support and consensus among participating nations, it was unanimously agreed that the IOMed be established in Hong Kong and that has solidified the city’s position as a global magnet for mediation. Hong Kong’s common law system and rule of law, along with its free and open business environment, have remained intact since reunification with the country. Global enterprises can resort to Hong Kong’s common law system to resolve disputes, including those over commercial contract terms, intellectual property rights and financial arrangements. In the 2025 International Arbitration Survey conducted by Queen Mary University of London in the UK, both Hong Kong and Singapore ranked as the second most preferred seats of arbitration for enterprises from around the world, with London maintaining top spot.
Meanwhile, the setting up of the IOMed could further foster business cooperation among investors and enterprises from different countries, particularly those from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The IOMed could also safeguard the business interests of BRI members that have signed up to it — such as Pakistan, Cambodia and Serbia — allowing them to settle disputes through mediation in Hong Kong.
At present, arbitral awards made in Hong Kong can be enforced in around 170 states, according to the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards. In the past, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) handled various arbitration and mediation cases. According to HKIAC’s figures, it handled around 500 arbitration, mediation and other cases from enterprises and institutions in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Singapore, the US and the Middle East, in 2024. The amount involved in these arbitration cases reached more than $13.6 billion.
Furthermore, the establishment of the IOMed could attract a broader range of international organizations and mediation services talent to Hong Kong. At present, Hong Kong hosts several international legal dispute resolution bodies, including the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization’s Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre. Hong Kong has also held high-level international meetings on arbitration and mediation. For instance, the International Council for Commercial Arbitration Congress — hailed as the Olympics of the international arbitration community — was held in the city last year, attracting a record more than 1,400 arbitration experts from more than 70 jurisdictions to Hong Kong. Global experts and professionals can bring their wealth of experience on mediation to the city. At the same time, Hong Kong has a rich pool of high-caliber professionals who can work as meditators. They are mainly from the legal, accounting, finance, architecture and maritime sectors. Professionals from different fields can work as mediators locally after garnering accreditation from the Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association — which was founded by the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and the Hong Kong Mediation Centre.
The establishment of the IOMed marks a significant breakthrough in mediation mechanisms for resolving disputes from different nations and jurisdictions. Hong Kong strives to live up to the country’s expectation to be a global hub for mediation. China welcomes more nations to join the IOMed, supporting any party or nation to settle disputes and conflicts via mediation, thereby building a world with long-lasting peace and amicable friendship.
The author is a member of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and founder and chairman of the One Country Two Systems Youth Forum.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
