On 6 September, China Arbitration Summit 2022 and the 2nd CIETAC Global Arbitrators Forum (“the Summit”) was successfully held in Beijing. The Summit was co-hosted by China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (“CIETAC”), United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (“UNCITRAL”) and All China Lawyers Association (“ACLA”). Ren Hongbin, Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (“CCPIT”), Wang Shengming, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (“NPC”) and Vice Chairman of the Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Committee of the NPC, Xiong Xuanguo, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice (“MOJ”), Liu Guixiang, Member of the Supreme People’s Court (“SPC”) Judicial Committee (Vice-Minister Level) and Grand Justice of the Second Rank, attended the opening ceremony and delivered opening remarks. Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL, delivered a pre-recorded speech. Wang Shumei, Member of the Judicial Committee and Chief Judge of the Fourth Civil Division of the SPC, attended the opening ceremony and gave a keynote speech. Ke Liangdong, Vice Chairman of the CCPIT, moderated the opening ceremony.

(The venue of China Arbitration Summit 2022 and the 2nd CIETAC Global Arbitrators Forum)

Senior officers from the MOJ, Beijing Higher People's Court, Beijing No.4 Intermediate People's Court and Beijing Financial Court attended the opening ceremony. Over 200 representatives from major arbitration institutions, judges, arbitrators, lawyers, scholars, industrial and commercial practitioners at home and abroad attended the Summit on site. The live streaming of the conference received around 3.163 million audience from 141 countries and regions.

(Ren Hongbin, Chairman of the CCPIT, addressing the opening ceremony)

Ren Hongbin pointed out that arbitration is an internationally recognized measure of resolving trade and investment disputes. It plays an indispensable and significant role in resolving international commercial disputes, optimizing the international business environment and advancing the principle of rule of law. As the most representative standing arbitration institution and the first foreign-related arbitration institution in China, CIETAC has built up the credibility of Chinese arbitration with its independent, impartial, professional, efficient and honest arbitration services, standing as the model of providing institutional arbitration services to global parties. In order to boost the international economic and trade development and facilitate the international arbitration governance system, commercial arbitration should adhere to the principle of  integrity and innovation, promote the wider application of international arbitration, and play the leading role in diversified dispute resolution; accelerate the integration of technology and arbitration, empower the development of international arbitration; be open and inclusive to improve communication and mutual understanding, and create a brighter future for international arbitration.

(Wang Shengming, Member of the Standing Committee of the NPC and Vice Chairman of the Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Committee of the NPC, addressing the opening ceremony)

Wang Shengming noted that, since the reform and opening up, arbitration in China has made great strides and contributed significantly to the promotion of economic and social development in China. At present, century changes are overlapping with epidemic unseen in a hundred years. Arbitration should be authoritative, humble, innovative, and standardized. He emphasized that arbitration is an important method of the diversified dispute resolution mechanism. Arbitrators shall respect the common sense, the rules and the parties. The revision of the arbitration law should be problem-oriented, respect and reflect the will of the parties, and effectively strengthen the supervision of arbitrators. It is necessary to utilize modern information technology, build intelligent arbitration, continuously improve the fairness and efficiency of arbitration, and elevate the international status of Chinese arbitration institutions.

(Xiong Xuanguo, Vice Minister of the MOJ, addressing the opening ceremony)

Xiong Xuanguo indicated that the MOJ would coordinate and promote the pilot project of building international commercial arbitration centers as a strategic mission to promote foreign-related legal services in the new era. The MOJ will be dedicated to promoting Beijing as the international commercial arbitration center for the construction of international scientific and technological innovation center and international communication center; promoting Shanghai as the Asia-Pacific arbitration center serving global parties; promoting Guangzhou and Shenzhen as the international commercial law and dispute resolution service center connecting Hong Kong and Macau to serve the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; promoting Hainan Province as the international commercial arbitration center serving the parties from Hainan Free Trade Port and the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, and strive to build China as the new favorable seat of international arbitration.

(Liu Guixiang, Member of the SPC Judicial Committee (Vice-Minister Level) and Grand Justice of the Second Rank, addressing the opening ceremony)

Liu Guixiang mentioned that the SPC attached great importance to the judicial review of arbitration, supporting the reform of the arbitration system, and promoting the construction of diversified mechanisms for the settlement of international commercial disputes. As one of the first batch of the five international commercial arbitration institutions to be included in the mechanism for the diversified settlement of international commercial disputes, CIETAC has played an important role in promoting the development of the "one-stop" mechanism for the diversified settlement of international commercial disputes. He emphasized that in order to facilitate the development of international arbitration in the intelligent and interconnected era, we should seize the opportunities, positively respond to the challenges and improve the service of international commercial arbitration; support the innovation of arbitration system and improve the judicial review system of arbitration in China; maintain cooperation and communication and promote the construction of the diversified international commercial disputes resolution mechanism.

(Pre-recorded speech from Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL)

Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary-General of UNCITRAL, recognized the active engagement of CIETAC delegation in the deliberations of the UNCITRAL Working Group documents and other relevant works. She noted that UNCITRAL has launched an initiative on dispute resolution in the digital economy, and hoped to conduct in-depth discussions and communication on this topic through this Summit, and to reach an international consensus on the rule of law in global digital economy governance.

(Ke Liangdong, Vice Chairman of the CCPIT, moderating the opening ceremony)

(Wang Shumei, Member of the Judicial Committee and Chief Judge of the Fourth Civil Division of the SPC, giving a keynote speech)

Wang Shumei shared the experience of Chinese courts regarding the practice of judicial review over arbitration, the application of modern technology in judicial practice, and put forward the views on the improvement of the arbitration legal system. She said that Chinese courts have been improving the judicial review mechanism of arbitration and seeking a consistent standards of judicial review of arbitration; conducting the review over arbitration in accordance with the law and clarifying the rules of adjudication for new types of disputes; promoting the integration and development between litigation, arbitration and mediation, building a "one-stop" international commercial dispute resolution mechanism; serving and guaranteeing a high level of opening up to the international community and supporting the international development of arbitration; complying with the obligations in international treaties, recognizing and enforcing foreign arbitral awards in accordance with the law. She also asserted that it is necessary for the judicial review under the intelligent and interconnected era to promote the intellectualization of arbitration, respect the autonomy of parties, promote the digitalization of arbitration proceedings, follow the due process, and encourage the utilization of big data and the protection of personal privacy.

In response to the development of economic globalization, and to promote the development of international arbitration, to strengthen the connection and communication among the global arbitrators of CIETAC, the 2nd CIETAC Global Arbitrators Forum was held and the "2022 CIETAC Global Arbitrators Initiative" was launched on the Summit. Arbitrators from 144 countries and regions with common beliefs and pursuits proposed to jointly build consensus on solidarity and cooperation, uphold belief in fairness and justice, promote innovative development of arbitration, facilitate progress of the youth, create best practices in diversified dispute resolution, build a shared future for mankind and achieve mutual benefit.

(Ren Hongbin, Wang Shengming, Xiong Xuanguo, Liu Guixiang, Ke Liangdong, CIETAC Honored arbitrator Fei Zongyi, Teresa Cheng and Wang Chengjie jointly supporting the Launch of the 2022 CIETAC Global Arbitrators Initiative)

The launching ceremony of the 2022 CIETAC Global Arbitrators Initiative was held during the Summit. The audience gave warm applause to express their congratulations. Ren Hongbin, Wang Shengming, Xiong Xuanguo, Liu Guixiang, Ke Liangdong, Fei Zongyi, Zheng Ruohua and Wang Chengjie stepped into the podium, jointly supporting the Launch of the 2022 CIETAC Global Arbitrators Initiative. Wang Chengjie, moderated the launching ceremony.

(Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman & Secretary General of CIETAC, moderating the launching ceremony of the 2022 CIETAC Global Arbitrators Initiative)

The theme of the Summit is “Towards Intelligent & Interconnected International Arbitration”. More than 30 guests from home and abroad delivered themed speeches and discussed on the topics of "Breakthrough and Upgrade: Dispute Resolution with the Aid of Technology", "Change and Challenge: Balancing Efficiency and Justice in Arbitration under the New Trend", and "Communication and Collaboration: Enhancing International Credibility of Arbitration under Economic Globalization", keeping up with the hot issues at the forefront of international arbitration development in the intelligent and interconnected era, exploring the direction of the future development of international dispute resolution in the digital economy, observing the change of times, following the trend of arbitration development, and focusing on the international rule of law practice.

[Session I, Breakthrough and Upgrade: Dispute Resolution with the Aid of Technology

In the order from left to right and top to bottom: Lu Song, Conciliator of International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), Member of International Commercial Expert Committee of the SPC, Professor of law at China Foreign Affairs University; Lucy Reed, President of International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA); Melanie van Leeuwen, Chair of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Commission on Arbitration and ADR, ICSID arbitrator; Yoshihisa Hayakawa, Convenor of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Strengthening Economic Legal Infrastructure (SELI), Executive Director and Secretary General of Japan International Dispute Resolution Center; Sarah McEachern, Co-author of the IBA Guide on Technology Resources for Arbitration Practitioners, Regional Manager of commercial and construction disputes at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP; Shan Wenhua, ICSID conciliator, Member of International Commercial Expert Committee of the SPC, Dean of School of Law of Xi’an Jiaotong University; Diao Yunyun, Deputy General Manager of Legal Department of Tencent Holdings; Zhu Xidan, Director of Comprehensive Legal Protection Department of Douyin Group; Jiang Hong, Member of ICC Belt and Road Commission, Head of arbitration practice of TianTong Law Firm]

In Session I, speakers were invited to discuss the increasingly wide application of internet technologies in international arbitration as well as the use of artificial intelligence, the development and challenges to ODR platforms, the responding reforms of international arbitration rules, other new trends in international arbitration and dispute resolution and provide solutions to the problems that may arise from applying new technology in dispute resolution.

[Session II, Change and Challenge: Balancing Efficiency and Justice in Arbitration under the New Trend

In the order from left to right and top to bottom: Cao Lijun, Secretary General of Arbitration and Lawyer Mediation Committee of All China Lawyers Association (ACLA), Co-head of Dispute Resolution Department of Zhong Lun Law Firm; Jae Sung Lee, Senior Legal Officer at the International Trade Law Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs; Stefano Azzali, Director General of Milan Chamber of Arbitration (CAM), Former President of International Federation of Commercial Arbitration Institutions (IFCAI); Pan Jianfeng, Dean of Peking University Law School; Xie Changqing, Vice President of CIETAC Arbitration Court; Eric Tuchmann, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of American Arbitration Association - International Centre for Dispute Resolution (AAA-ICDR); Duarte Henriques, Co-author of the Rules on the Efficient Conduct of Proceedings in International Arbitration (“The Prague Rules”), Member of Board of Directors at Silicon Valley Arbitration & Mediation Center (SVAMC); Cui Jun, Managing Director of Eminent Consultants Limited; Mao Huigang, Chairman of Arbitration Committee of Shanghai Bar Association, Senior Partner of Jin Mao Law Firm]

In Session II, speakers were invited to discuss how to strike a balance between efficiency and justice and to achieve the unity and fusion of these two basic values of law under the new trend of increasingly intelligent arbitration, especially when faced with unbalanced technological accessibility, information asymmetry and conflicts of ideas, exploring new ideas and models for the rule of law in the digital economy.

[Session III, Communication and Collaboration: Enhancing International Credibility of Arbitration under Economic Globalization

In the order from left to right and top to bottom: Tao Jingzhou, Member of International Commercial Expert Committee of the SPC, Independent arbitrator; Pasit Asawawattanaporn, President of Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group (APRAG), Managing Director of Thailand Arbitration Center (THAC); Ismail Selim, Director of Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA); Teresa Cheng, ICSID arbitrator, Former Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong SAR; Du Huanfang, Vice Dean of School of Law of Renmin University of China; Guo Junxiu, General Counsel of China Eastern Air Holding Co., Ltd; Gui Jia, Partner of Global Law Office, Standing Committee Member of China Intellectual Property Law Association; Matthew Secomb, Head of International Arbitration (Asia-Pacific) of White & Case LLP]

In Session III, speakers were invited to discuss ways to comprehensively enhance the international credibility of arbitration against the background of economic globalization, including but not limited to amendment of arbitration legislation, revision of arbitration rules, improvement of arbitration system, stronger judiciary support, and capacity building of arbitrators and relevant legal professionals.

The one-day conference came to an end with lively discussions and communication. At the closing ceremony, Gao Zicheng, President of ACLA and Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman & Secretary General of CIETAC, delivered the closing remarks. Gu Yan, Vice President of CIETAC Arbitration Court, moderated the closing ceremony.

(Gao Zicheng, President of ACLA, addressing the closing ceremony)

Gao Zicheng stated in his closing remarks that, as the epidemic has posed new challenges to the development of arbitration, the emergence of new forms such as electronic service of documents, remote virtual hearings and cloud arbitration platforms has incorporated modern technology into the arbitration proceedings. In the process of globalization, "intelligence & interconnection" will continue to promote communication and innovation in the case management of domestic and international arbitration institutions, advance the improvement of legal norms and institutional rules of domestic and international arbitration, accelerate the process of globalization of international arbitration, and promote the development of global diversified dispute resolution mechanism.

(Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman & Secretary General of CIETAC, addressing the closing ceremony)

Wang Chengjie noted in his remarks that, under contemporary international political and economic environment, the advantages of international arbitration in dispute resolution are becoming more prominent. Technology will further facilitate the efficiency, reduce the cost, and promote transparency and credibility of international arbitration. In recent years, CIETAC has welcomed more global arbitrators, and the "Belt and Road" international arbitration cooperation has continued to deepen and solidify. China is looking forward to be the new seat of arbitration. CIETAC will work together with the arbitrators to provide first-class international arbitration services and contribute to the establishment of the international commercial arbitration center.

(Gu Yan, Vice President of CIETAC Arbitration Court, moderating the closing ceremony)

The Summit was fruitful and achieved great success.