On July 3, 2025, Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (hereinafter referred to as “CIETAC”), received Tewodros Getachew, President of the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) and President of the Ethiopian Federal Advocates Association (EFAA), as well as Yang Lin, Founding Partner, Global Partner, and Executive Director of the Global Board of Yingke International, and other delegates in Beijing, and held a meeting.

Founded in 2002, the PALU is composed of lawyers, professionals, and institutions from 54 legal jurisdictions across Africa, as well as like-minded professionals who share visions. It serves as the foremost forum for African lawyers and bar associations, aiming to reflect the aspirations and concerns of the African people, and to build a united, just, and prosperous Africa based on the rule of law and good governance. The EFAA was established in 2022. Its members include lawyers and law firms throughout Ethiopia. The association is committed to safeguarding the interests of legal practitioners in Ethiopia, enhancing and standardizing professional levels and practice standards, and promoting professional development and the advocacy of justice and the rule of law.

During the discussion, Secretary-General Wang Chengjie stated that, with the deepening of China-Africa economic and trade exchanges and the increasing investment by Chinese enterprises in Africa, there is a growing demand on both sides for high-quality dispute resolution services.

CIETAC attaches great importance to the resolution of China-Africa commercial disputes. To meet the emerging legal service needs between China and Africa, CIETAC has sent delegations to Africa multiple times to conduct research and gain in-depth understanding of the current state of dispute resolution across African countries; organized events such as the China–MENA Arbitration Summit and the China–Africa International Arbitration Cooperation Conference to promote legal communications and mutual learning; signed agreements with several major African arbitration institutions to deepen cross-border dispute resolution cooperation; and established the “CIETAC China-Africa Trial Center” to provide parties from both China and Africa with more professional and convenient dispute resolution services.

President Tewodros Getachew gave a brief overview of the current development of legal services in Ethiopia, as well as within PALU and EFAA, and highly praised CIETAC’s innovative practices in the field of China-Africa arbitration cooperation. He expressed his hope that CIETAC, by leveraging its professional and international strengths, would play a greater role in promoting legal exchange and cooperation between China and Africa, and in safeguarding the healthy development of China-Africa economic and trade relations.

The two sides had in-depth discussions on strengthening cooperation in areas such as the cultivation of arbitration talent, the promotion of international arbitration systems, and jointly building the Belt and Road, and reached broad consensus.

Lu Fei, Director of the Business Development Division, and Lu Yahan, Deputy Director of the Intellectual Property Dispute Resolution Division of CIETAC, accompanied the meeting.