HKIAC Has Completed the Hong Kong Arbitration Services Enhancement Programme for International Businesses

2012年08月31日

Arbitration

Introduction

The Professional Services Development Assistance Scheme (PSDAS) is established by a Government allocation of HK$100 million to provide financial support for projects which:
- Aim at increasing the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s professional service sector as a whole, or of individual sectors, in external markets including the Mainland market; and/or
- Seek to enhance the standard of professional services in Hong Kong.
Primary Objectives
- To promote the advantages of conducting international arbitration hearings in Hong Kong amongst the Mainland and overseas business people investing in or trading with the Greater China Region.
- To promote the strength of the new HKIAC Administered Arbitration Rules.
Project Title
- Hong Kong Arbitration Services Enhancement Programme for International Businesses (Ref: 2009-1-24)
Duration of Project
- Sep 2009 - Aug 2012
Project Deliverables
- Exhibit or participate in 1 prominent international trade event and 3 in-house congresses / conferences of in-house lawyers
- Presentations at or participations in 6 major conferences / seminars and 1 mock arbitration
- Courtesy visits to 28 key enterprises
- Courtesy visits to 32 major law firms
- Produce 100 copies of Bilingual flowchart
- 1000 copies of marketing kit (with a fact sheet and a 6-minute video)

For Press Release, please click here.

Exhibition in or Participation to International Trade Events or In-house Lawyer Conferences

The HKIAC exhibited in 1 prominent international trade event and 3 in-house congresses/ conferences of in-house lawyers (3 in Mainland China, 1 in Korea)

(1) UNCTAD’s 2010 International Investment Agreements Conference (Xiamen, 8 September 2010) The Conference was held on 8 September 2010, as part of the UNCTAD World Investment Forum 2010, which brought together more than 1,800 participants from 120 countries and 16 international organizations.

The Conference was attended by solicitors, senior counsel, experts in the field of International Investment Agreements and representatives of IMF, ICC, ISCID and UNCITRAL. In attendance were 8 ministers dealing with investment from Cambodia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Tanzania, SouthAfrica and Zambia. Eminent speakers included the Attorney General of Ecuador, the Secretary-General of ICSID, the President of the American Society of International Law, and the President of UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Board.

In the morning session, the Conference focused on discussions on key development and systemic challenges facing the International Investment Agreements. In the afternoon breakout session, there were many important discussions on recent changes to arbitration Rules, predominately the ICSID Arbitration Rules and UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules.

Ms Chiann Bao, Secretary-General of the HKIAC, attended the full day conference as a senior participant. During the conference, she met with lawyers, in-house counsel and senior executives from Mainland China and overseas, exchanging views with them on many issues on international arbitration and introducing the advantages of conducting arbitration in Hong Kong. She also mentioned the recent development of arbitration in Hong Kong, such as the arbitration law reform and the HKIAC Administered Arbitration Rules.

(2) In-House Congress (Beijing, 24 March 2011)

The HKIAC participated in the “In-House Congress Beijing" held on 24 March 2011 in its capacity as a sponsor of the event. Ms Chiann Bao delivered a presentation at the panel discussion session titled “Who Knows What the Future Holds? Risk and In-House Counsel”, highlighting the advantages of conducting arbitration in Hong Kong to the delegates. According to the organiser, the event was attended by almost 240 senior counsel, Directors and CEOs.

HKIAC also exhibited at the In-House Congress and distributed to the participants the materials on arbitration in Hong Kong, which include the HKIAC Arbitration Rules, Hong Kong Arbitration 100 Questions & Answers and Why Hong Kong leaflet, and others.

(3) ALB In-House Legal Summit (Shanghai, 15 June 2011)

The ALB In-House Legal Summit took place in Shanghai on 15 June 2011, which brought together 220 leading senior-level corporate counsel, business leaders and private practice lawyers from Mainland China and overseas.

Mr Liu Jing, Deputy Secretary-General of the HKIAC chaired the afternoon session discussing how to best manage disputes, and utilise services that Hong Kong offers as a leading international arbitration centre.

HKIAC also exhibited at the Summit and distributed to the participants the materials on arbitration in Hong Kong, which include the HKIAC Arbitration Rules, Hong Kong Arbitration 100 Questions & Answers and Why Hong Kong leaflet and others.

(4) In-House Congress (Seoul, 30 Aug 2011)

Ms Chiann Bao attended the event and delivered a presentation at the panel discussion session titled “Who Knows What the Future Holds? Risk and In-House Counsel” to a total of 218 participants.

HKIAC also exhibited at the Summit and distributed to the participants the materials on arbitration in Hong Kong, which include the HKIAC Arbitration Rules, Hong Kong Arbitration 100 Questions & Answers and Why Hong Kong leaflet, etc.

A 1,500-word article entitled “Arbitration 2.0 for HK” in the Disputes edition of Asian-Counsel as privilege for participation in the In-House Congress Beijing on 24 March 2011 and In-House Congress Seoul on 30 August 2011 was published.

Visits to Enterprises or Relevant Orgnisations (10 cities in Mainland China and Overseas ) :

The HKIAC visited 28 enterprises and relevant organisations in 10 cities in Mainland and overseas.

Cities	No. of enterprises or relevant organisations
Beijing	9
Chengdu	1
Chongqing	3
Fuzhou	1
Shanghai	4
Shenzhen	2
Taiwan	1
Tianjin	2
Wuhan	2
Seoul	2
Washington	1
Total	28

Visits to Law Firms or Lawyers’ Associations (13 cities in Mainland China and Overseas ) :

The HKIAC visited 32 Law Firms and Lawyers' Associations in 13 cities in Mainland and overseas.

Cities	No. of law firms or relevant organisations
Beijing	8
Changzhou	2
Chongqing	1
Fuzhou	3
Guangzhou	1
Hangzhou	2
Shanghai	3
Suzhou	2
Tianjin	2
Wuhan	1
Wuxi	2
Seoul	2
Washington	2
Total	32

Presentation at or participation in major conferences/seminars and mock arbitration

(1) Seminar on Hong Kong International Arbitration by the Shanghai Corporate Counsel Association (Shanghai, 9 June 2010)

Dr Michael Moser (Chairman of HKIAC), Ms Chiann Bao (Secretary-General) and Mr Liu Jing (Deputy Secretary-General) presented the concept of arbitration, the advantages, and the reasons for choosing Hong Kong arbitration services, etc. Furthermore, HKIAC set up an exhibition booth for distributing promotional materials on Hong Kong arbitration services.

The seminar brought together 80 in-house counsel from the Mainland of China.

(2) Hong Kong Legal Services – Global Vision (Shanghai, 6 July 2010)

Dr Michael Moser (Chairman of HKIAC) and Ms Teresa Cheng (Vice Chairperson of HKIAC) delivered presentations on “Resolving Disputes in Hong Kong” and “Dispute Resolution in Practice – A Case Study” at the event.

An exhibition booth was also set up at the event for distributing promotional materials on Hong Kong arbitration services to the participants.

(3) Fuzhou Lawyers Forum (Fuzhou, 21-22 August 2010)

Mr Philip Yang (Immediate Past Chairperson of the HKIAC), Mr. Liu Jing (Deputy Secretary-General of the HKIAC) and Mr. Dennis Cai (Assistant Secretary-General of the HKIAC) delivered presentations in the Forum, introducing to the attendees the overview of arbitration in Hong Kong and the evidential issues on arbitration in Hong Kong.

The Forum was attended by more than 130 lawyers and in-house counsel from Fujian province

More information on the forum can be found at http://www.fzlawyers.net/show_info.asp?id=581

(4) 2010 Taipei International Conference on Arbitration and Mediation (Taipei, 17-18 September 2010)

Ms Chiann Bao, Secretary-General of the HKIAC, attended the Conference. The Conference was attended by 150 participants who were mainly lawyers, business executives and representatives of lawyers’ association, arbitration institutions and other international organisations.

She also introduced the development of arbitration law in Hong Kong to the participants she met during the conference, including lawyers and business executives in Taiwan, for example the representatives of the Chinese Arbitration Association and the Director (legal division) of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Ltd.

(5) Mock Arbitration Under the HKIAC Administered Rules

Mr Philip Yang (Past Chairperson of the HKIAC), Ms. Chiann Bao (Secretary-General of the HKIAC) and Mr. Liu Jing (Deputy Secretary-General of the HKIAC) participated in the event. Mr. Philip Yang acted as the arbitrator in the mock arbitration conducted under the HKIAC Administered Arbitration Rules.

More information on the event is available at http://www.scca.org.cn/newscontent.aspx?id=1223&cid=57.

(6) The Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group (APRAG) Conference (Malaysia, 9 – 10 July 2011)

Mr Huen Wong participated in the APRAG Conference in Dr. Michael Moser’s stead as the Chairman of the HKIAC and delivered a presentation at the Conference.

For the details of the conference, please refer to the APRAG website at http://www.aprag.org/downloads/Newsletter/APRAG_Conference_2011_Program.pdf.

(7) 2011 Taipei International Conference on Arbitration and Mediation (Taipei, 2 September 2011)

2011 Taipei International Conference on Arbitration and Mediation was held on Ms Chiann Bao participated in the Conference and there were 120 participants from Taiwan and overseas.

“Cross-Strait and Investment Arbitration” is one of the key topics covered by the conference. Ms Bao communicated directly to quite a number of arbitration lawyers and in-house counsel as to Hong Kong’s advantages in arbitrating disputes between the parties from Taiwan and Mainland China. She also introduced to the those people the HKIAC administered Arbitration Rules and the new Arbitration Ordinance in Hong Kong.

For more information of the event, please refer to http://www.arbitration.org.tw/english/news_into.php?id=10.

Survey Results

A feedback survey questionnaire comprising 11 questions on arbitration in Hong Kong was prepared for distribution under this project and a total of 155 questionnaires have been received. The details of the survey are: