On September 16, 2021, the signing ceremony of the memorandum of cooperation between the Swiss-Chinese Law Association (hereinafter referred to as “SCLA”), the Geneva International Dispute Resolution Institute (GIDI), and the International Commercial Mediation Center for the Belt & Road, BNRMC was held online and offline in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.
Wang Li, Chairman of Rong Shang Center and Director of the International Commercial Mediation Center for the Belt & Road, BNRMC, attended the meeting online and delivered a speech, and signed the cooperation agreement with Zhang Tianze, Managing Director of Swiss-Chinese Law Association, and Philip Hackett, Royal Counsel, President of Geneva International Dispute Resolution Institute, respectively on behalf of the three parties. More than 50 representatives attended the meeting online. They witnessed the signing, including Tang Xiaobing, Director of Foreign Affairs Office of Swiss-Chinese Law Association and former senior counselor of WTO, Gao Jun and Li Libin, partners of Zhong Lun Law Firm, Shi Lei, Legal Director of OPPO, and Gao Tian, Director of Allbright Law Office (Shenzhen).
Luiz Eduardo Vidal, Vice President of the Brazilian Mediation Office of the International Commercial Mediation Center for the Belt & Road, BNRMC, attended the meeting online and delivered a speech, while Yan Xiaomin, a mediator of the Shenzhen Mediation Office of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, and Lv Yurong and Guo Rongxin, mediation secretaries, attended the meeting offline.
Wang Li said in her speech that the Swiss-Chinese Law Association is an innovative, active and international bar association with a global perspective. The Geneva International Dispute Resolution Institute (GIDI) has injected new blood into the global mediation business by transforming the agreed mediation agreements into local arbitration consensual awards through the “Mediation + Arbitration” model. Respecting the international rule of law and the laws, national conditions, and needs of each country, the Center has established the independent and neutral “Belt and Road” International Commercial Mediation Center and its Internet mediation system. It set up 92 domestic and foreign mediation rooms and hired 519 mediators worldwide. As of August 31, 2021, the Center had received 16,031 cases, including 6,389 foreign-related cases, and had successfully mediated 3,508 cases, with a 60% success rate.
“This tripartite cooperation in international commercial mediation opens the door to a more diversified and convenient resolution of international investment and trade disputes in China-Swiss and China-Europe,” said Wang Li.
Luiz Eduardo Vidal gave a presentation on the operation of the Brazilian Mediation Office, which was established in August this year. He said that the rich business environment in China and Brazil provides the right opportunity to develop mediation mechanisms. Furthermore, this year, Brazil’s accession to the United Nations Convention on International Conciliation Agreements resulting from Mediation (Singapore Convention on International Conciliation) provides a fortunate opportunity for the “One Belt One Road” International Commercial Mediation Center to set up a mediation office in Brazil.
The picture shows the speech delivered by Mr. Tang Xiaobing, Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Swiss-Chinese Association of Law and former Senior Counsellor of the WTO.
Tang Xiaobing delivered a speech on mediation development from an international perspective. He said that “the alternative dispute resolution mechanism is conducive to sustaining long-term cooperative relationships between the two parties and even governments, international and regional, and effectively consolidates the development of trade, investment, and much future economic cooperation between the two sides, and requires continuous attention and encouragement for promotion. “We look forward to more cooperation between the parties to this signing in promoting foreign trade and economic development, expanding exchanges, forming rich results, and better playing the role of mediation,” said Tang Xiaobing.
Philip Hackett introduced the Geneva International Dispute Resolution Institute (GIDI) value mission, which was initiated by the Swiss-Chinese Law Association, and the concept of arbitration, mediation, conciliation, and neutral evaluation under the GIDI model. He pointed out that different countries have different customs, legal cultures, legal systems, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. It is a new trend to promote efficient problem solving by commercial subjects in international language and international standards, which helps promote the development of international trade and maintain a smooth and healthy international commercial order. The EU Mediation Directive encourages the use of mediation to facilitate the proper resolution of disputes, and GIDI is actively promoting cooperation with leading mediation and arbitration institutions worldwide to better promote the practice of ADR in different cultures.
Meanwhile, Zhong Lun Law Firm partners Gao Jun and Li Libin, as representatives of SCCL, delivered a speech on the theme of the future of commercial mediation in China, sharing their practical experience in alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as arbitration and mediation.
After signing the agreement, all parties will strengthen cooperation in promoting international commercial mediation, mutual recommendation and recognition of mediators and arbitrators, publicity and promotion, and exchange of experience, based on the concept of “common business, common construction, and sharing.” The parties will cooperate in research, development projects, and training where appropriate and feasible. It established the Swiss Mediation Office of the International Commercial Mediation Center for the Belt & Road, BNRMC, which carries out mediation, arbitration, and judicial dovetailing of diversified dispute resolution, and work together to protect the legal rights and interests of commercial activities such as investment and trade and build a good international rule of law environment. (Zhao Xuan)
The Swiss-Chinese Law Association, founded in 2019 and based in Geneva, Switzerland, is an international organization of lawyers’ associations. The association strengthens legal understanding and cooperation between Europe and China by promoting exchanges between lawyers, academics, the public, and the private sectors. Its main service areas include international investment, dispute resolution, M&A restructuring, public policy, and international organization relations.
Geneva International Dispute Resolution Institute
Geneva International Dispute Resolution Institute (GIDI) is an international commercial dispute resolution institution established in Geneva. It was founded by members of the Swiss-Chinese Law Association and is composed of more than 70 world-renowned mediators and arbitrators from 30 countries and regions.
