More than 80 countries and about 20 international organisations, including the United Nations, sent senior representatives to Hong Kong to witness the Signing Ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation. Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi, attended the Signing Ceremony and was the first to sign the Convention on behalf of China. Altogether, 33 countries signed the Convention on-site, making them the founding members of the IOMed.
Addressing the ceremony, Mr Wang said that as an innovative step in international rule of law, the IOMed has great significance in the history of international relations. The IOMed will be headquartered in Hong Kong, whose handover is itself a success story of peaceful settlement of international disputes. He added that the success of the “one country, two systems” principle has created brighter prospects for prosperity and stability in Hong Kong.
Member
of
the
Political
Bureau
of
the
Communist
Party
of
China
Central
Committee
and
Minister
of
Foreign
Affairs
of
the
People’s
Republic
of
China,
Wang
Yi,
speaks
at
the
Signing
Ceremony
of
the
Convention
on
the
Establishment
of
the
International
Organization
for
Mediation
and
is
the
first
to
sign
the
Convention
on
behalf
of
China.
Chief
Executive
of
the
Hong
Kong
Special
Administrative
Region
(HKSAR),
John
Lee,
thanked
the
Central
Government
for
its
staunch
support
of
Hong
Kong,
and
the
international
community
for
placing
their
trust
and
confidence
in
the
city.
“The IOMed will provide a pathway for countries – regardless of culture, language and legal system – to resolve international disputes based on mutual respect and understanding,” Mr Lee said. “This is increasingly important amid mounting geopolitical tensions.”
Mr Lee underscored that the IOMed reflected a shared confidence in mediation as a peaceful means to maintain international peace and security, as stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations.
HKSAR’s
Chief
Executive
John
Lee
speaks
at
the
signing
ceremony.
The
Chief
Executive
also
set
out
Hong
Kong’s
advantages
as
an
effective
“super
connector”
and
“super
value-adder”
and
said
the
city
would
actively
promote
the
IOMed’s
valuable
work
in
settling
international
disputes
through
mediation.
“Despite geopolitical turbulence, Hong Kong builds bridges, not walls,” Mr Lee said. “Under our unique “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong is the only world city that enjoys both the China advantage and the global advantage.
“We are the only common law jurisdiction in China, and the only jurisdiction in the world with a bilingual common law system in both Chinese and English. We have a long tradition of the rule of law, and our courts exercise their judicial power independently.”
With a robust, efficient and well-respected legal system as well as world-class legal and dispute resolution services professionals, Hong Kong is also the most preferred seat for arbitration in the Asia-Pacific region.
The IOMed headquarters will be located at the site of the former Wan Chai Police Station, once renovation of the Grade 2 historic building is completed.
“I’m happy to say that it could open its doors as early as the end of this year,” said Mr Lee.
“We look forward not only to welcoming its new occupants, but also to supporting them in building new bridges for a more connected, peaceful and prosperous future through mediation.”
Representatives
from
over
30
countries,
including
China
and
countries
from
Asia,
Africa,
Latin
America
and
Europe,
jointly
signed
the
Convention
on
the
Establishment
of
the
International
Organization
for
Mediation
in
Hong
Kong
on
May
30.
In
the
afternoon,
the
Global
Forum
on
International
Mediation
discussed
topics
such
as
mediation
of
disputes
among
countries
and
mediation
of
international
investment
and
commercial
disputes
and
the
contributions
that
the
IOMed
can
make.
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