Hong Kong, China — The Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy marked its one-year anniversary recently, highlighting its pivotal role in advancing international legal exchange and capacity building across the Asia-Pacific region. The institution released the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy Yearbook 2024–2025, documenting its significant achievements and milestones over its inaugural year, emphasizing the city’s strategic importance in global jurisprudence.
The anniversary coincided with Hong Kong’s annual Law Week, during which the academy collaborated with major international bodies to host high-profile events. These included the Sixth United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Asia Pacific Judicial Summit and an international private law symposium with the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) Asia Pacific Regional Office, focusing on cross-border litigation and authentication practices under the Hague Conventions.
Digital Trade and Dual Systems: Hong Kong’s Unique Edge
Senior international law officials underscored Hong Kong’s distinct advantages as the only common law jurisdiction within China’s broader civil law system.
Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary-General of UNCITRAL, emphasized Hong Kong’s role in facilitating international trade law, particularly amid the rapid digitalization of commerce. “Hong Kong has served for many years as a vital bridge between the two systems, playing an indispensable role in advancing international trade law,” Joubin-Bret said. She stressed that the judiciary is crucial in ensuring that digital modernization does not impede the free flow of goods and services. Hong Kong’s active participation, she noted, is critical to driving global digitalization initiatives and reinforces the city’s status in international rule-of-law development.
Echoing this sentiment, Christophe Bernasconi, Secretary-General of the HCCH, pointed to the widespread impact of global interconnectedness on international private law. He highlighted that cross-border links are now common for individuals, families, and businesses alike. The Law Week events, Bernasconi stated, were essential for bringing together participants from the Asia-Pacific and beyond for global discussions on managing the complexities of an interlinked world.
Cultivating a Global Mediation Hub
Looking forward, the Training Academy is positioned to serve as a crucial platform for capacity building, knowledge sharing, and experience exchange for legal professionals in Hong Kong, mainland China, and other jurisdictions. The city is also cementing its reputation as a center for alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
Annual events during Law Week, such as the Mediation City Forum and the Hong Kong Mediation Lecture 2025, highlighted mediation as a forward-looking, peaceful tool for resolving international conflicts. Gaston Kenfack Douajni, Director of Legislative Affairs at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Cameroon and Co-Coordinator for the International Mediation Organization (IOMed) expert group, praised mediation for its flexibility and ability to allow parties to custom-design procedures leading to amicable solutions.
With the establishment of the permanent headquarters of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) in the city, Hong Kong is strategically leveraging its legal infrastructure to become a global hub for mediation, further enhancing its international legal footprint. The confluence of high-level training, specialized conferences, and institutional presence solidifies Hong Kong’s influence in shaping the future of global commerce and conflict resolution.
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