Hong Kong opens Unidroit Asia-Pacific liaison office, Lee calls it significant

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the opening of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law's first regional office in Hong Kong would cement the city's position as a global law hub and support its drive to attract global organizations and talent. He spoke at the opening ceremony on November 2, 2026, which also marked the start of Hong Kong Legal Week 2026, according to RTHK.

Unidroit, an independent intergovernmental body that aims to modernize and coordinate cross-border private law, established its Asia-Pacific Liaison Office in the city, its first office outside its seat in Rome. Lee said the office would serve as a focal point for enhanced engagement with member states and stakeholders in the region and would play a role in the body's legislative and institutional work.

"It is a decision of profound significance – for Unidroit, for Hong Kong and for the entire Asia-Pacific region," Lee said, according to RTHK. He said Hong Kong, as the only common law jurisdiction within China, was an ideal home for the office and that its laws and dispute resolution framework aligned with international standards.

Lee cited the 2026 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, published the previous month, which ranked Hong Kong sixth in East Asia and the Pacific and within the first quintile of 143 countries and jurisdictions. He also said the National 15th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong's development as an international legal and dispute resolution services center, and that the city's own five-year plan, launched in September, sets out measures to leverage its common law system.

The liaison office will cooperate with other partner organizations in Hong Kong, including the International Organization for Mediation, Lee said.