The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (“UNCITRAL”) Working Group III on ISDS Reform – Forum for Further Preparatory Work on Investment Mediation was held in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“Hong Kong SAR”) of the People’s Republic of China on 5 May 2022. South China International Arbitration Center (HK) ("SCIAHK") was invited to speak in the seminar and the roundtable discussion.

Xiongfeng Li, Deputy Secretary General & Board Secretary of SCIAHK spoke on practitioner's perspective on balancing between confidentiality and transparency in investment mediation

The forum was co-organised by UNCITRAL, the Department of Justice, Hong Kong SAR and the Asian Academy of International Law (AAIL). Delegates from nearly 60 countries and regions attended the forum. Ms. Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL, Mr. SUN Jin, The Deputy Director-General, Department of Treaty and Law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People's Republic of China gave the opening remarks and Ms. Teresa Cheng, SC, Secretary for Justice of The Government of the Hong Kong SAR wrapped-up of the seminar on investment mediation. The UNCITRAL Working Group III plans to hold a formal meeting in Vienna in September this year to further discuss on the draft model clauses and guidance texts for inter-State treaties discussed at this preparatory forum.

UNCITRAL is the core legal body of the United Nations system in the field of international trade law. It is also an international organization with a broad membership specializing in commercial law reform around the world for more than 50 years. UNCITRAL's general mandate is to further the progressive harmonization and unification of the law of international trade. The UNCITRAL Working Group III is mainly responsible for the reform of dispute resolution between foreign investors and host States' governments.

Posted on 13 May 2022