JD Supra Hong Kong

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Latest documents

• The recognition and treatment of relationships under Hong Kong law—2026 - Final Report

  In March 2025, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling (A&O Shearman) was commissioned by the Gender Studies Programme of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) to identify and analyse Hong Kong legislation and certain Government policies in which a person’s relationship status is a factor.

• The recognition and treatment of relationships under Hong Kong law—2026 - Executive Summary

  In 2019, Allen & Overy (as Allen Overy Shearman Sterling (A&O Shearman) then was) was commissioned to conduct an analysis of Hong Kong legislation and certain Government policies in which a person’s relationship status was a factor as at 31 December 2018 (the 2019 Report). The 2019 Report identified widespread—yet inconsistently applied—instances of differential treatment based on relationship status across 21 separate areas of Hong Kong law and government policy. These disparities extended beyond individuals in alternative relationships, such as cohabiting couples, civil partnerships and same-sex marriages, impairing effective law enforcement and producing broader societal consequences. The findings were based on an unprecedented review of legislation in Hong Kong, covering 537 Ordinances

• Lexology In-Depth: Complex Commercial Litigation - Hong Kong - Edition 8

  The High Court Ordinance (Cap. 4) and Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A) (along with guidance that includes the Practice Directions issued by the Hong Kong Judiciary) apply to civil litigation in the High Court of Hong Kong. These rules, governing procedures ranging inter alia from pleadings to evidence, witnesses and costs, are robust and provide a clear framework for the resolution of disputes. Commercial arbitration is also an extremely popular method of resolving cross-border, international disputes, along with other modes of alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation.

• Hong Kong Stock Exchange Publishes Conclusions on IPO Price Discovery and Open Market Reforms

  The Stock Exchange adopts most of its proposals to optimise IPO price discovery and open market requirements, with certain modifications based on market feedback. On 1 August 2025, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the Stock Exchange) published its Consultation Conclusions following its December 2024 Consultation Paper on proposals to optimise IPO price discovery and open market requirements. The Stock Exchange will implement the proposals, with modifications in response to market feedback, and has launched a further consultation on ongoing public float proposals. The amendment to the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Stock Exchange (Listing Rules) became effective on 4 August 2025 and will apply to all issuers and all new applicants with listing documents published on or after that date, with transitional arrangements for ongoing public float requirements pending further consultation.

• APAC AI Watch Series | Hong Kong

  Asartificial intelligence continues to reshape industries, understanding the evolving regulatory landscape is more critical than ever. Our new APAC AI Watch series offers in-depth analysis of key legal developmentsacross Asia-Pacific, helping businessesanticipate compliance challengesand seize emerging opportunities. Each article will break down legislative updates, policytrends,and enforcementactionsacross the region, providing practical guidance on how businesses can navigate evolving AI regulations, mitigate risks,and refine their strategies.

• All’s Well That Ends Well for Keepwell Providers?

  No loss to issuers puts note trustees in the spotlight. The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal (CFA) has overturned the Court of Appeal’s order that Peking University Founder Group Company Limited (PUFG), as the keepwell provider, breached the terms of the keepwell deeds and was liable to three of its offshore subsidiaries that were the issuers and a guarantor of the keepwell bonds (together, the Issuers), for the total outstanding amounts of those bonds.

• Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre Releases 2024 Annual Statistics

  The statistics show a robust demand for arbitration and reflect Hong Kong’s importance as an arbitral venue for resolving cross-border commercial disputes. On 20 February 2025, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) released its annual statistics for 2024. The newly published statistics demonstrate an increasing use of the HKIAC as an arbitration centre. This growth reinforces Hong Kong’s position as a leading international arbitration institution, and follows on the heels of the issuance of the HKIAC’s new 2024 Administered Arbitration Rules which, as we discussed in a previous Client Alert, are aimed at further innovating the procedural framework for arbitration users.

• A Guide to Doing Business in Hong Kong – 2025

  Since establishment of the office in 1982, Hong Kong has acted as the hub around which Hogan Lovells’ regional growth and network expansion have been organised. We are also the sole Hong Kong member of the Pacific Rim Advisory Council (PRAC), a unique strategic alliance within the global legal community, consisting of over 20 major independent law firms, each with a substantial presence and expertise in the Pacific Rim region. We also have a number of Hong Kong qualified lawyers who have successfully obtained practicing licences in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (“GBA”), who can provide legal services relating to certain civil and commercial legal matters in the nine Mainland China cities within the GBA.

• Cross-border Dialogue Between Hong Kong And Mainland China on Insolvency Law

  In January 2025 in Beijing, a delegation of INSOL members led by Andrew Koo (INSOL Fellow) and John Lees (INSOL Past President) together with Hong Kong barrister Michael Lok, Alexander Tang (INSOL Fellow), and Howard Lam (INSOL Fellow), participated in a roundtable on crossborder insolvency topics with a team of prominent PRC bankruptcy experts led by Professor Li Shuguang, China University of Political Science and Law. Given the tremendous growth of the Chinese economy and overseas investments in the past few decades, corporate insolvency law in the PRC has become a priority area for legislative development and collaboration among practitioners both onshore and offshore. This ongoing dialogue between practitioners from two jurisdictions with very different legal traditions offers important opportunities for exchanging views and identifying areas of legal reform to resolve increasingly complex cross-border issues more effectively.

• Establishing a Business Entity in Hong Kong (Updated)

  ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS ENTITY IN HONG KONG - 1. Introduction - Hong Kong as an international centre for finance, commerce and trade is often considered as one of the most attractive places to do business owing to its unique advantages such as its prime location, business-friendly policies, simple tax regime, world-class infrastructure, sound legal system and robust regulatory regimes. This Asia’s world city has consistently topped various global rankings in business and economic competitiveness – more recently it ranked the 5th most competitive economy by the International Institute for Management Development in its World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024, topping the ranking in business legislation and international trade, and being in the top five positions in tax policy, international investment, basic infrastructure, finance and education.

Featured documents

• Further Guidance on Pre-IPO Investments from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange

  Introduction - It is common for financial investors such as private equity funds and hedge funds to invest in unlisted securities of private companies (e.g., through the subscription of convertible debt instruments, preference shares and/or warrants) with a view to exit their investments in a...

• Hong Kong Capital Markets Quarterly News -- October 2013

  In This Issue: New Sponsor Regime – Guidance Letters; Policy on Listing Overseas Companies; New Listing Decisions; New Guidance Letters; and Enforcement News Excerpt from New Sponsor Regime – Guidance Letters: Amendments to the Listing Rules, which complement the Securities...

• Data Privacy and Cyber Security in Hong Kong: The New Enforcement Imperative

  Introduction - Cyber security has gained increasing attention in recent years and cyber attacks have become more sophisticated and more frequent. Cyber attacks and other data breaches can affect millions of customers and leave them vulnerable to credit card fraud and other fraudulent conduct ...

• Weighted Voting Rights In Hong Kong: Hopes Raised High But... – Part 2

  In Part 1 of this eUpdate series, we discussed the reasons why Hong Kong regulators did not approve of share structures with disproportionate voting rights, also known as the “weighted voting rights structures” in Hong Kong or the “dual share class structures” in other markets, whether this could...

• ESMA and SFC agree derivatives MoU

  ESMA and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong have concluded a memorandum of understanding (MoU), the first that will allow the exchange of information on derivative contracts held in trade repositories....

• Listing Indian Companies on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange

  India is now included as an “acceptable jurisdiction” by The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “HKEx”). The HKEx also published a new “Country Guide – India” (the “India Guide”) relating to India-incorporated issuers. India-incorporated issuers seeking to list in Hong Kong are now able to...

• Important Hong Kong Decision Broadens Scope of Disclosure for SFC in Disqualification Proceedings

  In December 2016, the High Court of Hong Kong ordered the Securities and Futures Commission (“SFC”) to disclose all relevant materials obtained in its investigations to respondents in disqualification proceedings. The Court held that the test of relevance should be applied as broadly as is...

• Hong Kong: Financial Restructuring and Insolvency Update

  The Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Ordinance 2016 (the "Amendment Ordinance") came into effect on 13 February 2017 seeking to revamp and modernize the winding-up regime in Hong Kong, but does it go far enough?...

• SFC Obtains Disqualification and Court Orders Against Hanergy’s Former Chairman and Current Directors

  The Court of First Instance’s decision has important implications for directors of listed companies when failing to act in the best interests of the company. Background - On July 15, 2015, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) suspended trading in shares of Hanergy Thin Film Power...

• Back to Back Victories for the LGBT+ Community

  On 28 April 2017, in Leung Chun Kwong v Secretary for the Civil Service and Another (HCAL 258/2015), the Hong Kong Court of First Instance (HKCFI) decided that the same-sex spouse of a civil servant working at the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) was entitled to spousal benefits. Shortly after, on 25...