The Training Program on International Commercial Legal Services and Diversified Dispute Resolution for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Countries, hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), was held in Beijing in June 2025. The program brought together 23 government officials of economic and trade departments and representatives of chambers of commerce from over ten international organizations and BRI countries, including African Union Commission, Bulgaria, Tanzania, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela. At the invitation of the organizer, Ms. Lu Fei, Director of the Business Development Division of CIETAC, delivered a lecture to the trainees on June 23, 2025.

To enhance participants’ understanding of China’s foreign-related arbitration landscape, Director Lu Fei outlined the institutional features and practical advantages of Chinese arbitration. She highlighted the historical evolution and recent developments of CIETAC, as a representative example of Chinese arbitration, demonstrating through comparative data how CIETAC—the first foreign-related arbitral institution established in China—integrates innovative rules and practices to meet the needs of global parties and advance professional and international arbitration services. Specifically, since the launch of the BRI, CIETAC has fairly and efficiently resolved 3,389 BRI-related arbitration cases, with a total disputed amount of RMB 198.3 billion. These cases span all the BRI jurisdictions, underscoring arbitration’s critical role in promoting BRI economic and trade development. CIETAC has further strengthened international arbitration cooperation and facilitated regional legal and cultural exchanges through platforms such as China Arbitration Week and the Cooperation Mechanism of Belt and Road Arbitration Institutions. These initiatives have fostered the innovation and optimization of international arbitration systems, contributing to the effective resolution of BRI-related commercial disputes and steady advancement of the BRI.

During the Q&A session, Director Lu Fei engaged with trainees on topics including applicable law, arbitration efficiency, international investment disputes, and recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards. Participants unanimously described the event as highly informative and rewarding, expressing strong interest in future collaboration with CIETAC in dispute resolution to jointly advance the BRI economic, trade, and rule-of-law development.