1. Investing Across Borders 2010 report Expert Delegates from the World Bank Group visit the BAC

In an effort to objectively and accurately reflect commercial arbitration and dispute settlement mechanisms in China, the BAC has provided informative feedback opinions.These opinions are covered by the World Bank Group in its Investing Across Borders 2010 report. To the fullest extent possible, the BAC hopes to ensure that the Investing Across Borders 2010 report depicts a fair evaluation of China’s commercial dispute settlement mechanisms and the overall environment of foreign investment.

Experts from the World Bank Group revised the Report based on the feedback and sent a team of nine experts to the BAC on Aug. 24, 2011. The visiting team, headed by Augusto Lopez-Claros, director of investing across borders section, included experts Peter Kusek, senior investment policy official, and Sylvia Solf, manager of the investing across borders report project. The visiting team was also accompanied by Mr. Han Su, Chief of Division of International Finance of the Ministry of Finance. Secretary-General Wang Hongsong, Division Chief Chen Cong and Chen Fuyong, and other secretaries warmly welcomed the visiting guests. The visit encompassed an extensive discussion and exchange with the visiting experts on relevant issues.
http://www.bjac.org.cn/news/view.asp?id=1969&title=&cataid=1

Editor’s comment: The BAC has been devoted to making its institution an international dispute settlement organization. The visit by the team of experts from the World Bank Group not only makes the BAC more well-known among the international community, but also provides a chance for the world to know more about China’s commercial arbitration system. The BAC has always taken the initiative and assumed the social responsibility of introducing and promoting China’s commercial arbitration so that more and more commercial subjects become familiar with, trust in, and turn to Chinese arbitration institution.

2. The 4^th Greater China Arbitration Forum(GCAF) held at World Trade Centre Macau during Sept. 15-16, 2011

Forum topics included,: 1) Arbitration practice and experience; 2) Commercial mechanisms of China's mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 3) The court's role in protecting interests in arbitration; 4) Laws and practices relating to the enforcement of arbitral awards; 5) The situation and development trends of mediation in China's mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; and 6) Mediation practice and experience. The forum consisted of nearly one hundred arbitration professionals from China’s mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan.

At the special discussion session themed “Arbitration and Mediation: Practice and Experience”, Secretary-General Wang Hongsong gave the speech: “Advantages and disadvantage for arbitration institutions in establishing diversified dispute settlement mechanisms.” Division Chief Chen Fuyong then gave a speech on “The development of mediation in China’s mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao: The situation and trends.”
http://www.bjac.org.cn/news/view.asp?id=1975&title=&cataid=1

3. For its inaugural meeting the BAC Mediation Centre hosted a successful seminar on “The situation and trends of mediation”

On Sept. 28, 2011, the BAC hosted a seminar themed “The Situation and Trend of the Development of Mediation.” Delegates from courts, administrative authorities, arbitration institutions, industrial associations, enterprises, universities, as well as lawyers and media gathered to discuss the operation of the arbitration centres as well as mediation theory and practice.
http://www.bjac.org.cn/news/view.asp?id=1979&title=&cataid=1

Editor’s comment: Over the past few years, social governance is facing more challenges with increasingly complicated and diversified social issues associated with the advancement of system reform and globalization. Therefore, ADR such as mediation is unprecedentedly expected and supported. As an arbitration institution well-known and influential both domestically and internationally, the BAC is devoted promoting and providing specialized commercial dispute mediation and diversified dispute settlement mechanisms. The BAC Mediation Centre was founded on Aug. 1, 2011 with the approval of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs. Secretary-General Wang Hongsong said that seminar serves as a platform for those who engage in mediation service and care about mediation development to exchange ideas and learn from one other so that mediation personnel will be more capable of dealing with complicated and troublesome commercial disputes. A primary goal is to bring into full effect the use of mediation as a viable way to promote economic development and social advancement. We aim to ensure that the overall domestic concept, system, theoretical knowledge, and specialized skills will gain global recognition and be able compete on an international level.