SINGAPORE, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme Court of Singapore launched a new Singapore International Commercial Court on Monday.

The specialist court will hear disputes over global business deals. It is part of Singapore's efforts to position itself as Asia's dispute resolution hub.

Singapore has previously set up the Singapore International Arbitration Center in 1991, and launched the Singapore International Mediation Center in November last year.

The international judges appointed for the new court include Dyson Heydon, former judge of the High Court of Australia, Irmgard Griss, former president of the Austrian Supreme Court, and Justice Dominique T. Hascher, judge of the Supreme Judicial Court of France. Some of them will still serve as judges in their own jurisdictions.

Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said that the establishment of an international commercial court will build upon the success of Singapore's arbitration sector.

"At the same time, it will grow our legal services sector and might even expand the scope for internationalizing Singapore law," Menon added.