Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan met President of the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration Liu Xiaochun in Shenzhen today to discuss bilateral collaboration in sports dispute resolution.

Mr Cheung said that the Department of Justice is committed to promoting the diversified development of sports dispute resolution services in Hong Kong and is actively promoting co-operation with the Mainland and other overseas regions in this field, so as to build the city into a sports dispute resolution services centre in the Asia-Pacific region.

He highlighted that Hong Kong has been recognised and trusted by the international community for its arbitration and mediation services and that it maintains a rich pool of talent in sports dispute resolution services.

Noting that Shenzhen has long been Hong Kong’s close partner in arbitration and has been actively participating in the national development of sports arbitration, Mr Cheung stated that he hopes both places can strengthen co-operation in sports dispute resolution, giving full play to the Greater Bay Area's advantages of "one country, two systems and three jurisdictions" and promoting the sports dispute resolution services in both places with innovative thinking.

The Deputy Secretary for Justice added that the department is taking forward the pilot scheme on sports dispute resolution as announced in the Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address at full steam.

The invitation for the industry to submit proposals for the pilot scheme’s operation has begun to identify a suitable administering body and a technology service provider to provide a fast, reliable and neutral resolution mechanism for sports disputes.

The period for submission of proposals will close on July 31 and the scheme is expected to be launched in the second half of the year.