HONG KONG SAR, CHINA Law and Practice Contributed by: Frederick Hui and Samuel Li, Zhong Lun Law Firm
1. General 1.1 Prevalence of Arbitration
unique Interim Measures Arrangement with Mainland China, which allows parties to seek asset preservation from Chinese courts, providing crucial protection for assets located in Mainland China. This feature is espe - cially valuable for industries like energy, infrastructure and trade where significant assets may be located across the border. 1.3 Arbitration Institutions The Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKI - AC) is the most frequently used arbitral institution for international arbitration in Hong Kong. Its dominance is mainly due to its long history, market recognition and globally respected, efficient rules. While HKIAC leads the market, the local branches of other major international institutions such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) are also commonly selected to administer cases seated in Hong Kong, reflecting the jurisdiction’s open and arbitration-friendly framework. In May 2024, the Shanghai International Arbitra - tion Center (SHIAC), a leading Mainland institution, launched its Hong Kong branch, the Shanghai Inter - national Arbitration (Hong Kong) Center, marking the latest expansion of major international arbitration institutions in Hong Kong. A list of major arbitration institutions in Hong Kong can be found on the Hong Kong Department of Justice’s website . 1.4 National Courts The High Court of Hong Kong is the primary court designated to hear arbitration-related matters – both international and domestic – under the Arbitration Ordinance (Cap. 609) (the “AO”). The High Court has specialised judges experienced in arbitration law and routinely handles arbitration-related applications under a specialist list, namely, the Construction and Arbitration List, such as stay of court proceedings in favour of arbitration, interim measures, appointment and challenge of arbitrators, set-aside applications, and recognition and enforcement of awards.
International arbitration is exceptionally prevalent in the Hong Kong SAR, which is consistently recognised as one of the world’s leading arbitration hubs and was ranked the second most preferred seat of arbitration (tied with Singapore) in the 2025 Queen Mary Inter - national Arbitration Survey. This prominence is driven by its modern, pro-arbitration legal framework based on the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Com - mercial Arbitration, as amended in 2006 (the “Model Law”), a judiciary that adopts a policy of minimal inter - vention, and the exceptional services of the arbitra - tion institutions in Hong Kong. The caseload and the total amount in dispute of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre have reached record highs in recent years, with a significant majority of cases involving international parties, underscoring its role as a neutral and preferred seat for cross-border disputes. Domestic parties in Hong Kong regularly resort to international arbitration, particularly for complex, high- value commercial disputes with cross-border ele - ments. While litigation remains an option, arbitration is favoured for its enforceability under the New York Convention, the flexibility to select expert arbitrators, its efficiency and its confidentiality. 1.2 Key Industries Several industries in Hong Kong have experienced significant international arbitration activity in recent years. The most prominent sectors include construc - tion and infrastructure, international trade and com - mercial disputes, corporate and M&A matters, and financial services. These sectors typically involve high-value, cross-border transactions, complex long- term contracts and multiple international parties, mak - ing arbitration particularly attractive for the availability of technical expertise, the enforceability of awards, and procedural flexibility. The preference for arbitration in these sectors stems from several key advantages. Arbitration offers neu - trality for parties from different jurisdictions, confi - dentiality for sensitive commercial matters, and the ability to select arbitrators with specialised industry knowledge. Particularly important for Hong Kong is its
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