Co-organized by Friday Culture, Hong Kong Coalition, and AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre (AALCO-HKRAC),the 5th International Forum “Problem-Solving City: Hong Kong as a Disputes Resolver” was successfully held on 19 December 2025 in Hong Kong. The event brought together influential figures from government, legal, sports, and technology sectors to explore Hong Kong’s strategic role in sports dispute resolution, Web 3.0 standard-setting, and international legal collaboration.
Officiating Guests Included:
– The Hon Paul Lam, GBS, SC, JP, Secretary for Justice of the HKSAR Government
– Mr Lin Nan, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Publicity, Culture and Sports Affairs, Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR
– Ms Zhou Qian, Director-General, Department of Treaty and Law, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR
– The Hon Maria Tam, GBM, GBS, JP, Deputy Secretary-General of the Hong Kong Coalition
– Prof Herman Hu, GBS, JP, Chairman of Friday Culture
– Mr Nick Chan, BBS, MH, JP, Director of AALCO-HKRAC
The Hon Christopher Hui, GBS, JP, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, also delivered a video address outlining the government’s policy vision to position Hong Kong as a global hub for dispute resolution and digital assets.
Nick Chan: Advancing Sports and Web 3.0 Dispute Resolution
Representing one of the co-organizing institutions, Mr Nick Chan, Director of AALCO-HKRAC, delivered a keynote speech, stating:“AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre, established under international law by Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) and supported by 49 member states, is legally mandated to handle cross-border disputes. We have assembled a team of professionally trained arbitrators and mediators with expertise in sports and digital assets. We are dedicated to resolving disputes in emerging areas, thereby contributing to the growth of the sports industry and the Web 3.0 economy.”
He further emphasized the Centre’s active development of LawTech and interdisciplinary talent, laying the foundation for Hong Kong to become a world leader in innovative dispute resolution.
Panel 1: Mediating Disputes in Sports
Moderated by Mr Nick Chan, this panel brought together key representatives from the sports, legal, and academic communities, including:
– Mr Yeung Tak Keung, Head of the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong)
– Prof Patrick Lau, Head of the Department of Sports and Health Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University
-Prof Christopher To, Programme Director of the Master of Laws in Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, City University of Hong Kong
– Mr Mike Yang, Founder and CEO, AquaBloom International Sports Technology Group
– Mr Franklin Koo, SJD Candidate, The University of Hong Kong
Panelists agreed that with its common law system, bilingual legal environment, and strategic position bridging China and the international community, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to become a leading global centre for sports dispute resolution.
Panel 2: Setting and Harmonizing Standards for Web 3.0
Moderated by Prof Witman Hung, Global Council Member of the World Summit Awards, this panel featured government officials and industry leaders who discussed Hong Kong’s regulatory and technological leadership in Web 3.0 and digital assets:
– Mr Joseph Chan, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
– Mr Evan Auyang, Group President, Animoca Brands
– Mr Marco Lim, Independent Non-Executive Director, Boyaa Interactive
– Dr Au King Lun, MH, JP, Executive Director, Financial Services Development Council
– Dr Hon Johnny Ng, MH, JP, Member of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR
The discussion highlighted Hong Kong’s established framework for Web 3.0—ensuring security, interoperability, and user protection. The city is also pioneering digital bonds, tokenisation, and has already handled its first digital asset-related dispute, demonstrating strong international leadership.
Hong Kong’s Pathway to Becoming the World’s Most Influential Disputes Resolver
In the closing remarks, The Hon Maria Tam remarked: “Hong Kong is actively exploring dual roles—as a mediator in sports and a standards-setter in Web 3.0. With our common law system, bilingual legal status, and strategic location between China’s 1.3 billion population and global markets, we are transitioning from regulator to rule-maker. Through collaboration among the Central Government, Hong Kong, and Macau, we are collectively building the foundation for Hong Kong to become the world’s most influential disputes resolver.”
