Following is the speech by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, at the closing ceremony of the second edition of the National Training Course for Talents Handling Foreign-related Arbitration (Hong Kong) today (March 13):
 
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good afternoon. I am delighted to address you today as we mark the successful completion of the National Training Course for Talents Handling Foreign-related Arbitration (Hong Kong). Over the past few days, you have delved into the intricacies of international arbitration, gaining fresh perspectives that will advance your professional careers. On behalf of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy of the Department of Justice (DoJ) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and appreciation to all of you, who have contributed to the success of this Course.
 
     I would like to first express our most sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Justice of the People's Republic of China, the Bureau of Public Legal Services Administration, the China Legal Service (H.K.) Limited and the China University of Political Science and Law, for their invaluable support throughout the Course. Our thanks also extend to our institutional partners, and esteemed moderators and speakers who have played a pivotal role in enriching every aspect of this Course.
 
     I hope that you have enjoyed a packed programme together, featuring insightful lectures on arbitration, alongside lively exchange sessions with the International Organization for Mediation, international arbitration institutions in Hong Kong, barristers' chambers, and legal professional bodies. The Course has provided invaluable exposure to Hong Kong's robust legal system, and has fostered connections that extend far beyond this room, which I trust, has been both rewarding and fulfilling for all of you.
 
     Just now, we have had the pleasure to hear some reflections from our participants, and I must say, my colleagues and I are truly inspired. Some of you spoke passionately about how this Course broadened your horizons on international arbitration, while others shared how the lectures and exchange sessions elaborated and clarified complex issues that often arise in handling disputes. Such positive feedback has provided strong encouragement to us, and we are heartened to know that you have not only enjoyed the Course but also have fruitful takeaways.
 
     On a related note, I am pleased to share a few initiatives of the DoJ of the HKSAR Government. In recent years, the DoJ has taken active steps to position Hong Kong as a leading hub not only for international legal and dispute resolution services, but also in specialised areas such as sports dispute resolution to meet emerging demands. Launched in December last year, the Pilot Scheme on Sports Dispute Resolution (Pilot Scheme) provides a fair, efficient, and convenient mechanism for resolving sports disputes. The Pilot Scheme adopts a pragmatic "mediation first, arbitration next" approach to resolve both commercial and non-commercial sports disputes, featuring an online mediation and arbitration platform, as well as expedited procedures to enhance the efficiency of dispute resolution and to handle urgent disputes that may arise during competitions. The Pilot Scheme officially commenced its services in accepting case applications in February this year. I am delighted that the panels of mediators and arbitrators established under the Pilot Scheme now comprise 53 mediators and 43 arbitrators from the legal and sports sectors across 23 jurisdictions. Experts in international sports mediation and arbitration have also joined the panels. This, together with the bespoke mediation and arbitration rules, reflect the professionality of the Pilot Scheme. The DoJ will continue to work closely with stakeholders to organise promotional and capacity-building activities, establishing Hong Kong as an international centre for sports dispute resolution that contributes to the sustainable development of the sports industry in Hong Kong.
 
     Another important recent initiative by the DoJ is advancing lawtech for strengthening the legal sector's competitiveness. With the use of lawtech in areas like review of documents, data retrieval and processing to streamlining dispute resolution workflows, efficiency could be enhanced and time saved would allow lawyers to focus on tasks which are human-centric and irreplaceable by AI, like strategic planning, professional judgment and client engagement. We are dedicated to promoting the use of lawtech through active engagement with the legal sector and relevant services providers, promoting awareness and experience sharing. The DoJ is also reviewing the legislation needed to complement the wider application of AI. This ensures that our legal regime evolves in tandem with technological advancement while upholding key principles like accountability and confidentiality. On this, we would make reference to the practice and experience in other jurisdictions, including the Chinese Mainland.
 
     Meanwhile, we also seek to closely collaborate with our Chinese Mainland counterparts by assisting their enterprises in making full use of Hong Kong as the launch pad to go global. To this end, the DoJ rolled out the Hong Kong Professional Services GoGlobal Platform last December, alongside the publication of the first edition of the "Collection of Success Stories: Hong Kong's Professional Services Supporting Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global", to facilitate Chinese Mainland enterprises in connecting and collaborating with Hong Kong's professional services. Our collaboration is hence pivotal in offering comprehensive support to enterprises, safeguarding their interests and minimising their risks. I would encourage you to strengthen collaboration with Hong Kong's legal sector in supporting enterprises' global ventures.
 
     As we wrap up this Course, I invite each of you to take a few minutes to complete the feedback form for the Course. Please share your thoughts on what worked well, what could be improved, and any ideas for future editions. Your suggestions are very important in shaping the Academy's ongoing capacity-building strategies and direction.
 
     Moving forward, the Academy will continue to leverage Hong Kong's bilingual common law system and international status, to serve as a capacity-building, as well as knowledge and experience-sharing platform for legal and dispute resolution professionals in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and beyond. Building on the success of this Course, the Academy looks forward to more collaboration with the Ministry of Justice to deliver arbitration-focused capacity building programmes to promote knowledge exchange between the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong, in line with the national strategy to be set out in the National 15th Five-Year Plan.
 
     Ladies and gentlemen, congratulations once again. I wish you continued success in your endeavours. Safe travels home, and I look forward to crossing paths again in future collaborations. Thank you very much.

Ends/Friday, March 13, 2026
Issued at HKT 18:43

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