China, which had previously indicated its opposition to third-party bodies, signed a convention on Friday establishing a global mediation body in Hong Kong, aiming to be comparable to organizations such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Beijing has taken a more proactive approach in international affairs in recent years, expanding its influence in global bodies such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization — especially as the United States has taken the opposite direction under President Donald Trump.

The move is also being seen as an attempt to shore up Hong Kong’s reputation as a leading business hub, following Beijing’s imposition of a wide-ranging national security law in 2020, which shook confidence in the impartiality of the city’s legal system.

Initiated by Beijing, the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation Convention (IOMed) was co-signed by 31 other “like-minded” countries ranging from Serbia and Pakistan to Papua New Guinea and Venezuela.

“The birth of IOMed will help transcend the zero-sum mentality of ‘win or lose,’ promote the amicable resolution of international disputes, and build more harmonious international relations,” said China’s foreign minister Wang Yi, who presided over the signing.

Body to plug gap

Hong Kong’s government stated that IOMed will be the first intergovernmental body dedicated to mediation, while Wang noted that it would “fill a gap in the field.”

Mediation is a process in which a neutral third party intervenes in a dispute to help the two sides negotiate a mutually acceptable resolution to the conflict, as opposed to, for example, political bargaining or litigation.

The body will mediate disputes between countries, between countries and individuals from another country, and between private international entities.

IOMed “is on a par with” the United Nations’ ICJ and the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, said the Hong Kong government.