The signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation, south China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, May 30, 2025. /CMG
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday morning attended the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation in south China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The organization is the world's first intergovernmental legal body specifically dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation, jointly proposed by China and 18 other countries in 2022.
Representatives from 32 countries signed the Convention, becoming founding member states of International Organization for Mediation (IOMed). High-level representatives from over 50 countries and nearly 20 international organizations attended the ceremony.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, expressed congratulations to the organization's founding member states, saying that all attendees gathered here aim to advance the peaceful resolution of disputes and foster friendly cooperation among nations.
Noting there existed no intergovernmental legal organization dedicated to the peaceful resolution of international disputes, Wang said the IOMed is designed to mediate, on a voluntary basis, disputes between states, between states and foreign investors, as well as international commercial disputes.
He added that the IOMed will fill the institutional gap in international mediation and serve as a crucial public good for the rule of law to strengthen global governance.
Wang also said that through consultations among the Convention's negotiating states, it has been decided that Hong Kong will serve as the headquarters of the organization.
Noting Hong Kong, which boats unique advantages combining both common law and civil law traditions, has unparalleled strengths in international mediation, Wang said it's believed that IOMed will grow together with Hong Kong, complementing each other.
Wang said China expects all signatory countries to ratify the Convention as soon as possible and welcomes more countries to actively join.
The organization is expected to commence operations by early 2026.
The Global Forum on International Mediation will be held later on Friday, to host discussions on "mediation of disputes between States" and "mediation of disputes between a State and foreign investors and commercial disputes," among other issues.
High-level representatives, former dignitaries, and renowned international experts from over 50 countries, along with nearly 20 international organizations, including the United Nations, witnessed the signing ceremony.
Source: CGTN
