From April 12 to 15, 2026, the International Council for Commercial Arbitration Congress (“ICCA Congress”), widely regarded as the “Olympic Games” of the international arbitration community, was grandly held in Madrid, Spain. As a long-standing cooperation partner of ICCA and a Bronze Sponsor of this year’s Congress, the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (“CIETAC”) sent a delegation which was led by Xie Changqing, Vice President of the CIETAC Arbitration Court, to attend the Congress and engage in extensive and in-depth exchanges with arbitration and legal professionals from around the world.

（The CIETAC delegation attended the Congress）

Under the theme “International Arbitration: Local, Global or Both??”, this year’s Congress brought together more than 1,700 legal practitioners, including lawyers, arbitrators, and law professors, from approximately 70 jurisdictions. The Congress featured 13 panel sessions, during which speakers held in-depth discussions on cutting-edge and topical issues in international arbitration. Topics included the role of arbitration as a stabilizing force in today’s geopolitical landscape, the impact of sanctions on arbitral proceedings, states’ regulatory powers in the context of ESG and climate change, the boundaries of dispute resolution in the era of commercial space activities, and how to balance global standards with local rules in technology-related disputes. Participants jointly explored the latest developments and future trends in international commercial arbitration.

(Opening ceremony of the ICCA Congress）

As a Bronze Sponsor of the Congress, CIETAC demonstrated its strong support for the highest-level exchanges within the international arbitration community through concrete actions. Its participation fully showcased the open, professional, and confident international image of Chinese arbitral institutions, as well as CIETAC’s proactive commitment to promoting the development of international arbitration worldwide.

During the Congress, members of the CIETAC delegation engaged in broad exchanges with heads of international arbitral institutions, senior arbitrators, leading lawyers, and corporate representatives from around the world. Their discussions focused on key topics of the Congress, the latest developments in international arbitration, and directions for future cooperation. Through these exchanges, the delegation gained insights into the forefront of international arbitration, introduced CIETAC’s latest practical achievements in recent years, and further consolidated and expanded CIETAC’s network of friends in Europe and around the globe.

（The CIETAC delegation engaged in lively exchanges with participating guests）

CIETAC and ICCA have maintained a long-standing and sound cooperative relationship. As early as 2004, CIETAC successfully hosted the 17th ICCA Congress in Beijing. In 2019, the two sides jointly organized a seminar on practical issues in investment arbitration. In 2024, CIETAC participated deeply in the 26th ICCA Congress in Hong Kong as a Gold Sponsor and successfully hosted, during the Congress, the Second CIETAC Greater Bay Area Summit, which was the largest side event of that ICCA Congress. These efforts further demonstrated CIETAC’s international influence and promoted exchanges and cooperation in international arbitration.

During this visit to Madrid, CIETAC once again participated actively in the ICCA Congress, this time as a Bronze Sponsor, continuing the close cooperation between the two sides over the years. The visit was of positive significance for deepening exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and Western arbitration communities and enhancing the international influence of Chinese arbitration.

The Congress was grand and warmly received, and the CIETAC delegation returned with fruitful results.