On the afternoon of December 21, 2023, the 14th Central China Seminar of China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (“CIETAC”) on “Recent Development Trends of International Commercial Arbitration and Lawyers' Representation Skills” (“Seminar”) was successfully held in Wuhan. The Seminar was jointly organized by CIETAC Hubei Sub-Commission and Wuhan Lawyers Association with the support of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Hubei Sub-Council (hereinafter referred to as CCPIT Hubei), Hubei Association of Enterprise Legal Consultants and Wuhan University School of Law.

(The Scene of the Seminar)

With the theme of “Recent Development Trends of International Commercial Arbitration and Lawyers’ Representation Skills”, the Seminar invited a number of experts in the theory and practice of international commercial arbitration to conduct discussions. During the Seminar, they analyzed the development trends of international commercial arbitration and the development directions of Chinese arbitration so as to help lawyers improve their representation skills and practical level in commercial arbitration representation.

(Secretary General Yang Fan delivered a speech)

Yang Fan, Secretary General of CIETAC Hubei Sub-Commission, pointed out in her speech that in today's era of change, the global economic governance system and order were being profoundly adjusted. As a major mechanism for resolving cross-border commercial disputes, international commercial arbitration is also accelerating its adjustments and changes. It is necessary to strengthen the understanding and grasp of international trends in order to better recognize the development direction of Chinese arbitration.

In addition, lawyers are important forces in publicizing and promoting the arbitration system and the development of the arbitration cause, and constitute an important part of China's talent pool in the foreign-related rule of law. The improvement of the level of lawyers’ professionalization and standardization in representing commercial arbitration is conducive to safeguarding the parties’ legal rights and interests. This improvement also contributes to promoting the improvement of the business environment under the rule of law and the long-term development of a society governed by the rule of law. The theme of the Seminar echoes the spirit and requirements of President Xi's recent remarks on strengthening the construction of foreign-related rule of law, creating favorable conditions for the rule of law and the external environment, which is of great practical significance. From the perspective of foreign-related rule of law construction, CIETAC has always been an important participant, promoter and leader. In terms of historical contributions, case adjudication practice and experience, making advanced and cutting-edge rules, expert team building, service network layout, international cooperation mechanism and other aspects, CIETAC has done a lot of work to provide high-quality international commercial dispute resolution services and promote the construction of foreign-related rule of law. CIETAC Hubei Sub-Commission is the only branch of CIETAC in Central China. In the eight years since its establishment, it has introduced the resource advantages, experience advantages and expert advantages of CIETAC into Central China. It had played a positive role in enhancing the rule of law business environment in Central China. The CIETAC Hubei Sub-Commission will continue to provide high-quality, high-efficiency, diversified and internationalized dispute resolution services to the parties in arbitration cases in the future.

(Vice Chairman Nie Dezong delivered a speech)

Nie Dezong, the Vice Chairman of Wuhan Bureau of Justice, briefly introduced the development history of Wuhan Lawyers Association in his speech. He said that lawyers, as the main force of high-quality and specialized talent team in the field of foreign-related rule of law, were indispensable to promote the construction of foreign-related rule of law. He also mentioned that this Seminar was of great significance to enhance the industry's understanding of the current situation of international commercial arbitration and the development direction of China's arbitration cause, improved the level of arbitration practice of lawyers as well. 

（Assistant of Secretary General Liu Leyang presided over the Seminar）

The Seminar was chaired by Liu Leyang, the assistant of Secretary General of CIETAC Hubei Sub-Commission.

(Guest Speaker: Arbitrator Zhao Jian)

During the Seminar, Dr. Zhao Jian, the Senior Counsel of Zhong Lun Law Firm and arbitrator of CIETAC, gave a wonderful speech as the keynote speaker. He summarized eight major trends in international commercial arbitration, including the rapid rise of arbitral institutions in the Asia-Pacific region, convergence of rules, people-orientation, informatization, integration, greater transparency, more openness and inclusiveness, and green transformation. He put forward specific initiatives to accelerate the construction of China international arbitration center in the new era. Dr. Zhao Jian also talked about the skills of lawyers’ arbitration representation from the perspective of arbitrators, and deeply analyzed several major misunderstandings and common problems of lawyers’ arbitration representation practice. He emphasized that to achieve the best results of arbitration representation and better safeguard the legal rights and interests of the parties, lawyers should apply the correct way of thinking, think like an arbitrator and be the arbitrator's helper.

(Guests of honor, from left to right: Vice President Qitong, Vice President Zhang Li, and President Xu Zhiguo.)

Qitong, Deputy Dean of Wuhan University Academy of International Law and Global Governance and an international investment arbitrator of CIETAC, Xu Zhiguo, President of Hubei Association of Enterprise Legal Consultants, Deputy General Manager of China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd. and arbitrator of CIETAC, and Zhang Li, Vice President of Litigation Law Society of Hubei Law Society, Partner of Zhong Lun (Wuhan) Law Firm and arbitrator of CIETAC, as the guests of honor, shared their insights and practical experience from the perspectives of talent team building in the field of foreign-related rule of law, the needs of arbitration users, and lawyers' practices, etc.

（Q&A Session）

In the final Q&A Session, the audience had a lively interactive exchange with the guests on the development of ad hoc arbitration in China, arbitration of financial disputes and other issues.

The Seminar ended in a rich atmosphere of discussion.