The Fourth Online Seminar on the Construction of Regional Arbitration Centers, organized by CASS Institute of International Law, was successfully held on September 17, 2020. The seminar was presided over by Professor Mao Xiaofei, an associate research fellow at CASS Institute of International Law, and attended by representatives from the arbitration commissions in the cities of Xi’an, Qingdao, Harbin and Chongqing.

In the opening speech given at the seminar, Professor Liu Jingdong, Head of the International Economic Department of CASS Institute of International Law and a specially invited advisor of the Supreme People’s Court, pointed out that currently the construction of regional arbitration centers is an important task in the development of the arbitration industry in China and the related researches play a positive role in the revision of the Arbitration Law, the regionalization of arbitration bodies, and the reform of the arbitration system.

At the seminar, Mr. Dong Xiao, a senior partner of AnJie Law Firm and the representative of Swiss Arbitration Association in China, gave a keynote speech on the Swiss system and practice of international commercial arbitration. In the speech, Mr. Dong pointed out that, in the international arbitral practice, Switzerland has become one of the most popular locations of arbitration. This is because: firstly, Switzerland’s status as a neutral state is widely recognized by the international community; secondly, Switzerland has an advanced arbitration legal system; thirdly, Switzerland has been continuously improving its arbitration legal service environment; and fourthly, Switzerland can rely on the strength of international organizations. The Swiss arbitration legal system has the following characteristics: first, concise and clear legal provisions and advanced legal techniques; second, legal provisions conducive to arbitration; third, high degree of autonomy of will of the parties; fourth, strong judicial support; and fifth, confidentiality.