On the afternoon of February 5, 2026, Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of CIETAC led a delegation to Kaohsiung and the CIETAC delegation co-held the “Cross-Strait Economic and Trade Arbitration Exchanges—Kaohsiung Forum” with the Kaohsiung Bar Association（KBA）, advancing the series of cross-strait exchange programs to a deeper level. Both Wang Chengjie, Secretary-General of CIETAC, and Yeh Hsiao-Tzu, President of KBA addressed the forum. Attendees included Wu Yeong-Chyan（Chairman） and Lin Huan （Secretary-General ）of Taiwan Chinese Arbitration Association; Lee Ling-ling, the President of Taiwan Bar Association and former President of KBA; and over 30 representatives from KBA, including its Managing Directors, Managing Supervisors, several former Presidents, the Secretary-General and Directors. 

（The Forum）

Secretary-General Wang Chengjie addressed the forum and pointed out that, the Kaohsiung legal community is the leading force of Taiwan economic and trade legal service market, and also a vital partner together with whom to promote cross-strait arbitration exchanges. He extended sincere gratitude to Kaohsiung Bar Association for its strong support in making CIETAC’s visit to Taiwan a success. During this visit, he said, the CIETAC delegation totally felt the fierce desire of arbitration professionals from both sides of the strait on strengthening communication and the keen hope to cooperate in promoting arbitration for mutual benefit. CIETAC has been specialized in commercial arbitration for a long time, ever since 2000, it has pioneered cross-strait arbitration cooperation. The attending guests of this forum are senior experts and distinguished representatives from the arbitration and lawyer communities of both sides of the strait. He expressed his hope that both sides of the strait would fully exchange opinions, reach more consensus and deepen their understanding of cross-strait arbitration rules and practice, and jointly promote the integrated development of arbitration mechanisms across the strait.   

（Secretary-General Wang Chengjie addressed at the forum）

In her speech, President Yeh Hsiao-Tzu first extended her walm welcome to the CIETAC delegation for its visit to Kaohsiung, emphasizing that Kaohsiung Bar Association attaches great importance on CIETAC’s visit and regards it as a key step to deepen cross-strait arbitration and legal cooperation. Kaohsiung, she noted, has been transforming from a traditional industrial city into one with coordinated development of high-tech and cultural industries. Arbitration, as an efficient, convenient and professional dispute resolution method, has significant potential in safeguarding industrial upgrading. To this end, Kaohsiung Bar Association positively dedicates itself in promoting arbitration, not only through participating in various professional events, but by taking the initiative to enhance communication with arbitration institutions and legal communities of both sides of the strait. CIETAC is experienced in promoting the popularization and application of arbitration and in strengthening cross-strait arbitration cooperation, attaining lots of achievements. This forum would surely be able to further cross-strait arbitration exchanges and cooperation to a deeper level and broader fields.  

（President Yeh Hsiao-Tzu addressed the forum）

This forum was themed on new trends in cross-strait arbitration. Experts from both sides of the strait had an in-depth discussion on topics including deepening cross-strait communication and cooperation, the impact on cross-strait arbitration practice brought by mainland’s newly revised Arbitration Law, guiding commercial entities from both sides of the strait to choose arbitration institutions across the strait for dispute resolution, and the role played by professional legal institutions across the strait in protecting economic and trade exchanges. 

Kevin Kuo, former President of Kaohsiung Bar Association and CIETAC arbitrator, shared his fond memories of his personal involvement in cross-strait arbitration and legal exchanges. He pointed out that, the regular and in-depth cross-strait arbitration and legal cooperation is a long-term choice for lawyers of both sides of the strait to broaden their career options. The recent amendment of the mainland’s Arbitration Law and the promulgation of its Regulations on Commercial Mediation have provided new opportunity for such cooperation. Against the background of this situation, he noted, holding this forum is both timely and of great significance, as it will effectively help arbitration professionals of both sides of the strait to adapt to new circumstance and tackle emerging challenges.

（Kelvin Kuo delivered a keynote speech）

Meng Ting, Managing Partner of GoldenGate Lawyers and CIETAC arbitrator, analyzed key amendments to the mainland’s Arbitration Law in detail, and provided an in-depth interpretation of eight key highlights, including defining the concept of “seat of arbitration”, crystalizing the legal status of ad hoc arbitration, adding the principle of good faith, establishing provisions regarding implied consent on the validity of arbitration agreements, improving methods of selecting and appointing the presiding arbitrator, optimizing conservatory measures, confirming the legal validity of online arbitration, and clarifying the legal grounds for setting aside foreign-related arbitral awards and the refusal of their recognition and enforcement. His presentation offered invaluable professional guidance for legal experts of both sides of the strait to accurately grasp the essential spirit of newly revised Arbitration Law and standardize arbitration practice.

（Attorney Meng Ting delivered a keynote speech）

From the unique perspective of a local Kaohsiung lawyer, David Hsieh, Managing Director of KBA, had a deep analysis of the brand new opportunities and development space for cross-strait arbitration industry brought by the implementation of the amended Arbitration Law. In his opinion, cross-strait arbitration legal cooperation is supposed to transform breakthroughs in the revised Arbitration Law into practical actions, such as further expanding the lists of mutually recommended arbitrators, encouraging parties to choose the nearest seat of arbitration, and place of oral hearing, and positively promoting digital arbitration such as online hearing. The Kaohsiung Bar Association and Kaohsiung lawyers, he stated, are eager to cooperate hand in hand with CIETAC and members of cross-strait arbitration and legal communities to jointly strengthen cross-strait arbitration industry, consistently enhance its  professionalism and influence, and to safeguard the integrated development of cross-strait economy and trade with powerful arbitration service.   

（Attorney Xie Guoyun delivered a keynote speech）

Wu Yeong-Chyan, Chairman of Taiwan Chinese Arbitration Association, proposed that, the arbitration legal communities of both sides of the strait are encouraged to take CIETAC’s visit to Taiwan as a new starting point to regularly conduct mutual visit, communication and collaboration, to share arbitration experience and handle practical challenges together, creating promising prospect for cross-strait arbitration cooperation. 

（Chairman Wu Yongqian delivered a keynote speech）

Attending guests also exchanged views and gathered minds on issues including the comparison and integration of arbitration rules, the mutual recommendation and training of empaneled arbitrators, and the establishment of a routinized professional communication platform. At last, the forum ended in a lively atmosphere.

Following the forum, the Kaohsiung Bar Association hosted a welcoming dinner, where the CIETAC delegation and representatives from KBA，along with other legal experts from Kaohsiung, engaged in extensive exchanges, further strengthening their connections and mutual understanding. 

（The welcoming dinner hosted by the Kaohsiung Bar Association ）

The attending guests agreed that, the increasing economic and trade exchanges between both sides of the strait create a broad market for the development of arbitration. Arbitration institutions across the Taiwan strait, represented by CIETAC and Taiwan Chinese Arbitration Association, have been committed to arbitration and cooperation in this field for a long time, earning a reputation in international arbitration community. This has laid a solid foundation for cooperation and created realistic possibilities for the rapid development of arbitration on both sides of the strait. In order to better satisfy the increasing demands of parties from both sides of the strait in dispute resolution, the cross-strait professional arbitration legal institutions, such as CIETAC, Taiwan Chinese Arbitration Association, and Kaohsiung Bar Association, are advised to continuously strengthen their own capacity building, actively conduct the promotion of arbitration, enhance mutual understanding, reach more consensus, and play a more significant role. By adhering to the principle that “the cross-strait affairs should be resolved by compatriots across the strait”, they can attract more commercial entities to choose them to solve disputes. Meanwhile, arbitration institutions of both sides of the strait should deepen communication with an open mind, while promoting development with joint intelligence, contributing bigger power for the integrated development of cross-strait economic and trade exchanges. 

（Group photo of the attending guests）