Secretary for Justice Wong Yan Lung says mediation has become the global trend in dispute resolution, and a conference will be held in Hong Kong in November to promote the concept.

Speaking on a radio talk show this morning, Mr Wong said overseas experts will speak at the conference to explain the advantages of mediation.

In the coming year a cross-sectoral working group will chart out how mediation can be more effectively and extensively applied in both commercial disputes and at the community level.

Mediation can provide a relatively quick and inexpensive procedure, producing a satisfactory and amicable result, which both parties actively worked towards and can live with, and which will not destroy an existing relationship.

Wide coverage

Mr Wong said Hong Kong has made a good start and it has been common to use mediation to resolve construction disputes. Mediation can also help resolve disputes involving multi-storey buildings, marriage, and compensation for occupational injury, he added.

Noting mediators' professionalism is essential to the development of the service, Mr Wong said the Mediation Council, Law Society and Bar Association have offered training to mediators. The Government will work with these organisations to promote mediation services.

On the development of arbitration services, the secretary said the Government has worked hard to develop Hong Kong into an international arbitration centre. The implementation of "One country, two systems" and the city's close relation with the Mainland have made Hong Kong a popular arbitration centre for handling cases involving Mainland parties.

Arbitration law reform

The Government will launch a public consultation on arbitration law reform at the end of this year and will make necessary legislative amendments afterwards.

On drug abuse, Mr Wong said he will lead a high-level inter-departmental task force to consolidate strategies to combat juvenile drug abuse from a holistic perspective.

The task force will hold its first meeting later this month. Mr Wong hoped the group could finish reviewing the existing mechanism and come up with improved measures and new initiatives in one year.