On January 9, 2009, the BAC participated in the Fifth Chinese General Assembly of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) held in Beijing, Secretary General of the BAC made a keynote speech entitled Resolution of Disputes in Construction Projects with Full and Effective Use of Arbitration Modes, which gave introduction to arbitration rules, mediation rules as well as DB rules of the BAC and emphasized the BAC’s professional expertise in the field of construction projects, especially CD-ROM entitled “Construction Projects and Real Estate Practices”, produced by Beijing Lawee Company, found a strong echo in the participants’ hearts.

　　 On January 17, 2009, Yuguan Village Primary School Building Project located in Jiangyou City, Sichuan Province, funded by the BAC, was completed upon final acceptance, which has undergone the final audit settlement stage. Mrs. Gao Qilin, arbitrator of the BAC specially led the team to the project site and made directions for the auditing work.

　　 On the morning of January 20, 2009, the BAC held the Tea Party for New Year, Professor Jiang Ping, President of the BAC, delivered the New Year Speech. Secretary-General Wang Hongsong gave the annual working report concerning all aspects of work in 2008 to all arbitrators. Gathering together here, arbitrators looked back upon the course of development in the past year, and jointly developed a new development plan for the BAC in 2009. (Please visit our Chinese website for details:
　　http://www.bjac.org.cn/news/view.asp?id=1553&title=&cataid=1

　　 On the afternoon of January 20, 2009, the Fourth Conference of the Fifth Session of the Beijing Arbitration Commission was convened. Presided over by President Jiang Ping, this conference firstly reviewed and adopted the annual Working Report in 2008 submitted by the incumbent Secretary General; on this basis, this conference discussed 10 topics and worked out conference resolution. Upon review, The Construction Dispute Board Rules of the Beijing Arbitration Commission, Construction Dispute Board Fee Schedule of the BAC, The BAC Ethical Standards for Construction Dispute Board Experts, The BAC Ethical Standards for Mediators Amendment to Mediation Fee Schedule, Annual Financial & Audit Reports of 2008 and Annual Financial Budget Report for 2009. The committee also approved access of the newly-appointed arbitrators, newly-appointed mediators and DB experts. (Please visit our Chinese website for details:
　　http://www.bjac.org.cn/news/view.asp?id=1562&title=&cataid=1)

　　 On February 11, 2009, the People's Court Daily, the Judicial Reform Office of the Supreme People's Court and the BAC jointly cooperated to set up a special column “Study on Alternative Dispute Resolution” published on the People's Court Daily, which started to solicit contribution articles. The column is designed to support the issued Several Opinions of the Supreme People's Court on Setting up and Perfecting Alternative Dispute Resolution, to promote diversified development of settlements ADR mechanisms, and to facilitate further improvement of arbitration, mediation, litigation and other dispute settlement mechanisms.
Email for Contributor: xuguangming@rmfyb.cn; jianglili@bjac.org.cn.

　　The first article on this a special column: Comparison and Selection of Innovative Mediation Mechanisms
Refer to: http://rmfyb.chinacourt.org/public/detail.php?id=125779

　　 On January 5, 2009, in accordance with the laws, Southwest Sub-Commission of China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) completed the judicial registration in Chongqing, which has been formally established to start to accept and handle cases. According to its constitution, Southwest Sub-Commission of CIETAC shall adopt the same arbitration rules and roster of arbitrators with CIETAC in Beijing, i.e., shall implement the same case management system. For more details, please visit:
　　 http://www.cietac.org/NewsFiles/NewsDetail.asp?NewsID=786

　　 On January 8, 2009, Online Arbitration Rules of China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission was reviewed and approved by the Second Meeting of the Seventeenth Session of CIETAC, which will come into force since May 1, 2009. For more details, please visit:
　　 http://www.cietac.org/NewsFiles/NewsDetail.asp?NewsID=797

　　 On February 25, 2009, the first Taiwan-related Arbitration Center in Chinese Mainland was formally established in Shanghai. Shanghai Taiwan-related Arbitration Center is a professional local arbitration body for Taiwan-related arbitration cases, which is jointly set up and co-managed by Taiwan Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipal People's Government and Shanghai Arbitration Commission. Shanghai Taiwan Arbitration Center can handle and rule over contract and property disputes of legal persons (with Taiwan-based capitals) and natural persons (with Taiwanese residence) from Chinese Mainland, Taiwan and other regions. Shanghai Taiwan-related Arbitration Center has employed 35 arbitrators specializing in civil and commercial matters from Shanghai Arbitration Commission to act as arbitrators for Taiwan-related cases, including 6 arbitrators from Taiwan and 2 arbitrators from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
　　 (Http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2009-02/26/content_10901374.htm)

　　 On February 26, 2009, the BAC organized an important salon with the theme of “How to better manage arbitration proceedings and improve quality and efficiency of arbitration” in the International Conference Hall. Mrs. Li Juxia, Mr. Wang Jialu and Mr. Zhao Hang, Arbitrators from the BAC, made informal discussion of their ideas on how to improve quality and efficiency of arbitration as well as doing a good job in arbitration, shared experiences with arbitrators and explored into arbitration methods.

　　 On February 28, 2009, Secretary General of the BAC went to Taiwan to attend “Cross-strait Economic and Legal Seminar—Special Subject Study and Discussion on Arbitration System of Chinese Mainland with Protection of Taiwan businessmen’s Rights”. And Secretary General will engage in academic exchange activities with Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry, Taichung City Industrial Development & Investment Promotion Committee, Arbitration Association of Chinese Taipei and other related organizations.

Editor: Jiang Lili Kongyuan