The International Chamber of Commerce's decision to open a branch of the Secretariat of its International Court of Arbitration in Hong Kong is an endorsement of the city's position as a premier centre for international arbitration services, Secretary for Justice Wong Yan Lung says.

Mr Wong added its presence will enhance the city's provision of arbitration services, noting it is the Government's policy objective to strengthen Hong Kong as a centre for arbitration and the Department of Justice's recent publication of a consultation paper on reforming arbitration law aims to improve the legal infrastructure for arbitration services.

The branch secretariat is the first in Asia and will have a case management team to administer cases in the region under the ICC Rules of Arbitration. It will be in full operation by the end of the year.

The ICC International Court of Arbitration is one of the world's top international dispute resolution institutions. It oversees the ICC arbitration process and is responsible for appointing arbitrators and scrutinising and approving all arbitral awards.