On 6 August 2019, the State Council of China published the “General Planning of the New Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Program” (“General Planning“). Under Article 4 of the General Planning, reputable overseas arbitration and dispute resolution institutions will be allowed to “set up business organisations in the new area [of … Read more
On 29 July 2019, the Australian Government referred the Australia – Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement (A-HKFTA) to the Australian Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) for review (see here). Read more
Following Tuesday’s announcement of the Arrangement Concerning Mutual Assistance in Court-ordered Interim Measures in Aid of Arbitral Proceedings by the Courts of the Mainland and of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Arrangement), the Supreme People’s Court of China has released the full official text (in Chinese). The Hong Kong Government has also provided … Read more
On 4 March 2019, Australia and Indonesia signed the Australia-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (“CEPA“). In this post, we briefly consider some of the noteworthy features of the CEPA chapter on investment and in particular its provisions regarding investor-State dispute settlement (“ISDS“). Indonesia and Australia signed a bilateral investment treaty (“BIT“) containing ISDS provisions in … Read more
On 26 March 2019, Australia and Hong Kong signed the Australia-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement (A-HKFTA) and its associated Investment Agreement (Agreement). These agreements were negotiated against the background of a heated political debate in Australia regarding the benefits and risks of investment treaties. This debate occurred as a result of an arbitration brought against … Read more
In Buda Pipe Rehabilitation Engineering Co. Limited v CPC Construction Hong Kong Ltd [2019] HKCFI 503, the Hong Kong Court of First Instance dismissed Buda Pipe Rehabilitation Engineering Co. Limited (BPR)’s application for leave to appeal a 2018 arbitral award, clarifying the proper application of Schedule 2 of the Arbitration Ordinance (Cap. 609) (Schedule 2). Read more
In CL v SCG [2019] HKCFI 398, the Hong Kong Court of First Instance found that enforcement of a 2011 arbitral award by CL was time barred, clarifying when a cause of action for failure to honour an award accrues and the effect of the Arrangement Concerning Mutual Enforcement of Arbitral Awards between the Mainland … Read more
Israel Sorin Shohat, the Third Defendant in proceedings commenced by Mr Balram Chainrai, sought to challenge the jurisdiction of Hong Kong courts to hear a matter related to an Israeli arbitral award issued in 2013. The court held that, while the deadline for challenging jurisdiction had not passed, Shohat had ultimately taken steps which indicated … Read more
