HONG KONG — On Friday, dozens of nations joined China in forming an international mediation-based conflict resolution body.
Following Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, representatives of more than thirty other nations, from Pakistan and Indonesia to Belarus and Cuba, signed the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong to become founding members of the global organization.
Developing nations’ support confirmed Beijing’s growing sway in the global south among increasing geopolitical concerns mostly related to trade tariffs of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Aiming to offer “Chinese wisdom,” Wang said at a ceremony China has long promoted addressing disagreements with a spirit of mutual understanding and consensus-building through discussion.
“The foundation of the International Organization for Mediation helps to move beyond the zero-sum mindset of ‘you lose and I win,’ he said.”
Based on its headquarters in Hong Kong, the body seeks to support the peaceful resolution of international conflicts and foster more harmonic world relations.
Beijing has praised the group as the first international legal body in the world for mediation-based conflict resolution, claiming it will be a crucial tool in preserving UN Charter values. It also positioned Hong Kong as an Asian international legal and conflict resolution hub.
Asserting that it has especially ideal circumstances for international mediation, Wang said the city’s rule of law is highly established and offers both common law and mainland Chinese law systems’ benefits.
Leader of Hong Kong John Lee said the group might start working as early as the end of this year.
About twenty organizations, including the United Nations, as well as officials from some fifty other nations attended the occasion.
Though many specifics of the new body are yet unknown, she said it might allow more flexible approaches like mediation to open the door for more synergy between official litigation or arbitration.
Law professor Shahla Ali of the University of Hong Kong stated the International Organization for Mediation would be able to arbitrate conflicts between states, between a state and a national of another state, or in international business conflicts.
“Conventions can offer chances to experiment with new approaches,” she added, pointing out growing worldwide mediation demand as a means of investor-state conflict resolution.
