Hong Kong to establish international commercial court

The planned court will handle complex, high-value international and cross-border commercial disputes.

Hong Kong’s Judiciary plans to establish the Hong Kong International Commercial Court (HKICC) as a specialist division of the High Court within the coming year.

The HKICC will adjudicate complex, high-value international and cross-boundary commercial disputes, as Hong Kong seeks to strengthen its role as an international financial centre and dispute resolution hub.

The Judiciary said the court will respond to rising demand for a specialist judicial forum that can address legal and factual complexities arising from the growth of international and cross-border commercial activities.

The HKICC will complement Hong Kong’s existing dispute resolution framework, including arbitration and mediation.

It is expected to provide parties with transparent judicial determinations, a structured appellate process, and enforceable judgments, including recognition and enforcement on the Mainland under relevant two-way arrangements.

Local judges with substantial commercial law experience will sit on the HKICC. Senior judges or practitioners from other common law jurisdictions may also be invited to sit on an ad hoc basis under the existing legal framework.

A dedicated Practice Direction will be issued to set out the types of cases under the HKICC’s jurisdiction and its court procedures. These will include measures to streamline litigation, make appeals more flexible, and ensure timely handling of cases and appeals.

A floor in the High Court Building will be designated for the HKICC. The court will also make extensive use of technology, including remote hearings, electronic filing, electronic bundles, and voice-to-text transcription.