Given recent developments, parties with cross-border agreements and arbitration with Chinese counter-parties should look to Hong Kong as a seat of arbitration.

On 2 April 2019, the Hong Kong SAR Government and the PRC Supreme People’s Court signed an arrangement whereby the Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese courts are to provide mutual assistance in interim measures in support of arbitral proceedings. The arrangement came into force on 1 October 2019, and will apply to proceedings commenced prior to but still ongoing as of 1 October 2019.