On 28 May 2026, the Hong Kong Judiciary announced its plan to establish the Hong Kong International Commercial Court (HKICC), a specialist division of the High Court, designed to handle complex, high-value international and cross-border commercial disputes. This will no doubt strengthen Hong Kong’s standing as both a major international financial hub and a leading international dispute resolution venue.
Why is the HKICC being created?
The HKICC aims to respond to the growing demand for a specialised judicial forum, capable of dealing with the intricate legal and factual issues arising from the recent rapid growth of international and cross-border commercial activity. It is designed to provide specialist judicial expertise and court procedures, tailored to deal with such disputes. Local judges with substantial experience in commercial law will sit on the HKICC and eminent senior judges or practitioners from other common law jurisdictions may be invited to sit on an ad hoc basis. Assessors and experts may be engaged, where appropriate, to assist the judges in specialised areas.
How does HKICC work alongside other dispute resolution options?
The HKICC is positioned to complement Hong Kong’s existing dispute resolution framework and, together with arbitration and mediation, aims to provide parties engaged in international and cross-border commerce with a comprehensive range of dispute resolution options.
The HKICC’s advantages include authoritative judicial determinations, a structured appellate process, and the certainty of enforceable judgments, including their recognition and enforcement on the Mainland under the relevant mutual arrangements.
Legal framework, procedures, and appeals
The HKICC will be established under existing legislation, including the High Court Ordinance and Rules of the High Court and a dedicated Practice Direction will be issued to:
- Prescribe the category of cases the HKICC will hear
- Set out detailed court procedures
- Include measures to streamline the litigation process
- Provide a more flexible approach for handling appeals
- Ensure timely disposal of cases and appeals, informed by best practices from other international commercial courts
Technology-Enabled Court Operations
A designated floor within the High Court Building will be allocated to the HKICC. The HKICC will use technology extensively in handling its cases, including:
- Remote hearings
- Electronic filing
- Electronic bundles
- Voice-to-text transcription
Timeline and Consultation
The Judiciary aims to establish the HKICC within the coming year, with preparatory work already underway and key stakeholders, particularly the legal profession, will be consulted.
Comment
A number of countries have already set up an international commercial court. The establishment of the HKICC reinforces Hong Kong’s status as an international dispute resolution hub. Hong Kong maintains a robust and well-established judicial system. With the setting up of the HKICC, we look forward to more international parties choosing the Hong Kong Courts to litigate their disputes in addition to arbitrating in Hong Kong, being one of the preferred seats of arbitration in the world.
For further information, please contact:
Joseph Chung, Partner, Deacons
joseph.chung@deacons.com
