Hong Kong Plans to Establish International Commercial Court to Handle Cross-Border Disputes, Judgments Enforceable in Mainland China

Odaily Planet Daily News The Hong Kong Judiciary announced plans to establish the Hong Kong International Commercial Court under the High Court, dedicated to handling large-scale, complex international and cross-border commercial disputes, with judgments enforceable in Mainland China.

As a court under the Hong Kong High Court, the High Court Ordinance and the Rules of the High Court already provide the necessary legal framework for establishing the Hong Kong International Commercial Court. The Hong Kong Judiciary will issue dedicated practice directions specifying the categories of cases within the court's jurisdiction and detailed court procedures. These include measures to streamline litigation procedures after referencing best practices from other international commercial courts, providing a more flexible appeals handling mechanism, and ensuring timely processing of cases and appeals.

The Hong Kong Judiciary stated that, in line with international practices and to reflect the international and cross-jurisdictional nature of cases, the Hong Kong International Commercial Court will make extensive use of technology when handling cases, including remote hearings, electronic filing, electronic document bundles, and speech-to-text technology for producing transcripts, to enhance judicial efficiency. (Caixin)