Publish time: Thu Oct 12 09:46:17 CST 2017
On September 19 2017, the 7th Greater China Arbitration Forum was successfully hosted in Guangzhou, with more than one thousand attendees. As one of the founding members, the Beijing Arbitration Commission / Beijing International Arbitration Center (the “BAC”) dispatched a delegation led by its Secretary General Mr. Lin Zhiwei to attend this event, jointly with the BAC senior assistant Ms. Deng Rui and case managers Mr. Wang Zhishuo, Ms. Wang Aixing and Mr. Liu Wenpeng. It is the 10th anniversary of the Forum, and the Chinese arbitration is currently embracing a new opportunity. This Forum was focused on hotspot issues of arbitration such as ad hoc arbitration, internet arbitration and Belt and Road Initiative oriented arbitration. Mr. Lin Zhiwei participated in the panel discussion and delivered a keynote speech.
The Forum
Keynote speech by Mr. Lin Zhiwei
At the beginning of the Forum, Mr. Rimsky Yuen SC, Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong SAR, Mr. Li Fudian, President of Chinese Arbitration Association, Taipei, Mr. Zhang Han, Vice Director of the Legal Service Bureau of Macau SAR and Mr. Yang Jianghua, Deputy Mayor of Guangzhou city delivered opening speeches respectively, addressing arbitration practice within the Greater China region and looking forward to better development of commercial arbitration.
Thereafter, Mr. Chen Zhongqian, the founder of China Internet Arbitration Alliance, made a keynote speech themed “Trying out Ad hoc Arbitration, Bringing forth Legal Service Innovation”. Mr. She Sibao, Vice President of Executive Board of Directors of ICC China, shared his opinions and suggestions on “Practical Dilemma of Opinions on Providing Judicial Guarantee for Pilot Free Trade Zone Construction”. Mr. Nicos G. Papaefstathiou, Managing Partner of Tassos Papadopoulos & Associates, Mr. Xing Yiqiang, President of Guangzhou Bar Association, Mr. Dou Wenwei, Senior Litigator of Legal Dept. of PingAn Group, provided keynote speeches on the European experience of ad hoc arbitration, the practice of ad hoc arbitration in China, attorneys’ role in ad hoc arbitration and so forth.
During the afternoon, the Forum was conducted in the form of panel discussion. Speakers from mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan had in-depth exchanges on the hotspot issues at the moment. Prof. Song Lianbin of China University of Political Science and Law International Law College, Ms. Kuok Weng Mui, President of Macau Arbitration Association, Mr. Wu Xueting, Vice President of Zhuhai Arbitration Commission, Mr. Li Xiaoguang, Secretary General of CIETAC South China Sub-commission, Ms. Gao Fei, Senior Counsel of Boss & Young, Mr. Sun Wei, Partner of Zhong Lun Law Firm, Ms. Siu Wing Yee, Vice President of Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators, Associate Prof. Shen Yunqiao of Macau University of Science and Technology have discussed on “Practice of Ad hoc Arbitration – Innovative Path for Regional Dispute Resolution”.
Mr. Lin Zhiwei in panel discussion
Mr. Lin Zhiwei participated in the panel discussion on “Role and Position of Arbitration under Belt and Road Initiative” and delivered a keynote speech. Based on the BAC’s practical experience in commercial arbitration development in promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative, he pointed out that arbitration will have huge market potential under the Belt and Road Initiative, and Chinese arbitration institutions may share resources with each other. The promotion of commercial arbitration development along the belt and road jurisdictions requires respect to diversity and attention to difference, and Chinese commercial arbitration should strive for uniform rules and standards. In light of this, Mr. Lin put forward the following suggestions on behalf of the BAC to other brother institutions: first, to strengthen the joint research and thereby to lay a solid foundation for professional dispute resolution; secondly, to strengthen resource sharing and to improve commercial arbitration services; thirdly, to gradually reach consensus on the promotion of harmonious development of Chinese arbitration. Prof. Zhou Linbin of Sun Yat-sen University Law School, Mr. Lin Yongran, Executive Director of Chinese Arbitration Association, Taipei, Ms. Cai Yili, BD Manager of Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration, Mr. Ou Yongliang, Vice President of All-China Lawyers Association, Mr. Wang Zezuo, President of Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators, Mr. Liu Xiaochun, President of South China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, have also shared their views on this topic. They all spoke highly of Mr. Lin’s proposals, which aroused extensive discussions.
Next, Mr. Lin Yifei, President of Yicai Law & Commerce Institute, moderated the panel discussion on “Competition and Integration of Arbitration Institutions in ‘New Normal’”. Mr. Yao Kefeng, President of Internet Arbitration Institute of Qingdao Arbitration Commission, Ms. Ma Ruomei, Deputy Secretary General of Chinese Arbitration Association, Taipei, Mr. Su Guoliang, Vice President of China Nansha International Arbitration Centre, Mr. Liu Chunquan, Member of E-Commerce Expert Consultation Committee of MOC, Mr. Zhu Zhengfu, Member of the National Committee of CPPCC, Mr. Ge Huangbin, Director of International Arbitration Management Services, Ms. Zhang Lixia, Vice Director of Panel of Arbitration of All-China Lawyers Association, Mr. Xiao Shengfang, President of Guangzhou Bar Association, have participated in this panel discussion and provided their insights.
Handover ceremony
Following the panel discussions, Ms. Wang Xiaoli, Director of Guangzhou Arbitration Commission, the hosting institution of this Forum, delivered a closing speech, which was well received with applauses in a warm atmosphere. At last, Mr. Lin Zhiwei, on behalf of the BAC, was handed the certificate for hosting the next Greater China Arbitration Forum, signifying the formal start of the countdown of the 8th Greater China Arbitration Forum.
BAC delegation
The Greater China Arbitration Forum is an exchange platform on arbitration founded for and by arbitration institutions in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Taiwan and Mainland China. As a biennial event, it has extensive influence within the arbitration community, aiming to deepening the exchange between arbitration institutions and promoting arbitration development within the four jurisdictions of the Greater China Region. The BAC as the hosting institution of the next Forum will endeavor to promote the harmonious development of Chinese commercial arbitration as always, and sincerely invites arbitration institutions and professionals of the four jurisdictions to Beijing next time for further dialogue on arbitration and better plan for development.