New global mediation body could open in Hong Kong as early as end of 2025, official says

A new international mediation body to be inaugurated in Hong Kong and backed by mainland Chinese authorities could open its office as early as “the end of this year”, a senior official has said, with legal experts expecting it will burnish the city’s status as a top jurisdiction to resolve disputes between states amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Deputy Secretary for Justice Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan on Sunday gave an update on the opening schedule for the International Organisation for Mediation, days before China’s top diplomat Wang Yi was expected to arrive for the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organisation for Mediation on May 30.

Cheung said the Hong Kong headquarters of the body, which are currently under renovation at the site of the old Wan Chai Police Station, could be open by the end of this year or the beginning of 2026.

“It marks the first time an intergovernmental international organisation sets foot in Hong Kong. This will significantly elevate Hong Kong’s international image as a global mediation hub and bring numerous benefits, including enhancements in its economy, political standing, cultural influence, and international impact,” Cheung said on social media.

He also noted that the city’s status as a mediation hub could lure more international organisations, NGOs and academic bodies to the city and yield more job opportunities for mediators, translators, researchers and administrative staff.

Cheung also said he hoped the establishment of the headquarters would prompt more international meetings and exhibitions in Hong Kong and spur the development of the hotel, catering, transport and logistics industries.