Pursuant to the Arbitration Law of the People’s Republic of China and the relevant provisions of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) on the accreditation of arbitrator qualifications, the new Panel of Arbitrators of CIETAC, having been reviewed and approved by the Chairman’s Council, comes into force as of May 1, 2026.  The arbitrators shall serve a five-year term, running from May 1, 2026to April 30, 2031.

The new Panel of Arbitrators of CIETAC comprises a total of 2,308 arbitrators from 164 countries and regions worldwide, covering 128 countries and regions that have signed the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation documents. Among them, 1,616 are from the Chinese mainland, while 692 are from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and foreign jurisdictions, accounting for 30% of the total panel. This reflects a further enhancement in the internationalization of the panel.

This renewal process was oriented toward building a world-class arbitration institution and focused on the diversified dispute resolution needs of domestic and international parties, aiming to build a high-caliber, internationalized panel of arbitrators covering all key practice areas. 

During the renewal process, CIETAC conducted meticulous performance assessments for arbitrators of the previous Panel , fully affirming the positive contributions of the vast majority in case handling, duty performance, training participation, and support for institutional development. Concurrently, CIETAC did not renew the appointments of 318 arbitrators upon the expiry of their terms.

In the selection process, CIETAC maintained stringent admission criteria, comprehensively evaluating the qualifications of applicants. Factors such as professional competence, industry influence, geographical distribution, adjudication needs, and the institution’s strategic development were taken into account to select the most suitable candidates for the new panel and continuously optimize the panel’s structure. Among the newly appointed arbitrators from the Chinese mainland, 86.5% are from key sectors including securities, finance, construction, and intellectual property rights, as well as emerging fields such as digital economy, artificial intelligence, clean energy, and low-altitude economy. This proactive approach forms a forward-looking arrangement for dispute resolution in key and emerging industries.

Following this renewal, the Panel of Arbitrators of CIETAC has been moderately expanded, with more balanced geographical coverage, practice areas, and personnel composition. Its professionalism, international outlook, and authoritativeness have become more prominent. This will not only provide a solid foundation of legal professionals for serving the country’s major development strategies, but also play a significant role in advancing the high-quality development of CIETAC and arbitration in China.

Annex: Panel of Arbitrators of CIETAC (Effective as of May 1, 2026)