On September 15, 2023, the 11th China Arbitration Week Wuhan Special Event and the 11th Corporate Counsel Annual Conference (Central China) was successfully held in Wuhan. This Annual Conference was co-hosted by China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission Hubei Sub-Commission (“CIETAC Hubei Sub-Commission”), Legal Daily, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hubei Sub-Council, China Chamber of International Commerce, Hubei Chamber of Commerce and Hubei Corporate Legal Counsel Association. The Annual Conference received great attention from all walks of society in central China, and more than 300 participants attended the Conference, including company executives, corporate counsels, representatives from arbitration institutions, lawyers, teachers and students in and outside the province.

Under the theme of “Strategies and Options for Enterprises in International Management under the Time of Great Changes”, this Annual Conference invited corporate counsels from national leading enterprises, famous scholars and experts, arbitrators and lawyers to discuss hot and frontier topics, such as export control and trade compliance, response to the risks of “Belt and Road” investment and trade, international sanctions, foreign dispute resolutions and cultivation of the foreign related talents etc. so as to promote the internationalization and high-quality development of enterprises in China, and to jointly look for the new ideas and impetus for enterprises to “break through and stand up, and live up to newness” in the midst of the situation of great changes.

(Annual Conference Venue)

Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of CIETAC, Zhou Bingjian, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Legal Daily, Hu Zhonghai, Director of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hubei Sub-Council & President of China Chamber of International Commerce, Hubei Chamber of Commerce, Xu Zhiguo, President of Hubei Corporate Legal Counsel Association & Deputy General Manager of China Energy Engineering Gezhouba Group Co., Ltd. & CIETAC Arbitrator, and Zhao Jun, Secretary General of Hubei Law Society, addressed the Opening Ceremony. The opening ceremony was moderated by Yang Fan, Secretary-General of CIETAC Hubei Sub-Commission.

(Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of CIETAC, delivered the opening speech)

Secretary-General Wang Chengjie pointed out that in the current international situation, the uncertainty of enterprises’ international business risks has been highlighted, cross-border trade and investment disputes continue to emerge, which has put forward new requirements for dispute resolution in related fields. According to CIETAC “2022 Arbitration Survey: Going Global of Chinese Enterprises”, five major areas of cross-border arbitration disputes are likely to significantly increase in the coming years:  

1. Supply chain and medium-to-long-term transaction interruptions disputes induced by the Pandemic, 2. Measures or inactions taken by governments in response to the Pandemic are likely to lead to an increase in investment arbitration disputes, 3. International arbitration disputes in the field of renewable energy, 4. International arbitration disputes on ESG (Environment, Social Responsibility, and Corporate Governance) clauses, 5. Science and technology disputes (Crypto currencies, block chain, artificial intelligence, etc.). In a time of great changes, in order to realize the internationalization, it is necessary for enterprises to organically combine the principle of strategy with the flexibility of tactics, to seek excellence in details, to plan the layout in a wide range of areas, and to achieve “Be Wise in Thinking and Act Properly”. It is necessary to strengthen the contact and interaction among local arbitral, judicial, legal and business circles, deepen cooperation in industry exchange, information sharing, legal services, arbitration research, legal education, etc., and apply the rule of law thinking and methods to prevent and resolve significant risks. At the beginning of this month, CIETAC has just released the latest 10th edition of its Arbitration Rules. The Arbitration industry generally believes that the new rules have absorbed and learnt from international advanced practices, summarized CIETAC’s practical experience in resolving international disputes, and oriented to meet the parties’ needs for dispute resolution. The new rules embody autonomy, impartiality, high efficiency, flexibility, transparency and show the leading and progressiveness in international and domestic area. As the “national team” and the forerunner of arbitration institution in China, CIETAC has natural advantages in dealing with cross-border and inter-jurisdictional disputes. Through the multi-disciplinary dispute resolution services including arbitration, mediation, and dispute assessment, CIETAC and CIETAC Hubei Sub-Commission will play an active role in settling disputes, escort the international management and the high-quality economic development for enterprises.  

(Zhou Bingjian, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Legal Daily, delivered the opening speech)

Deputy Secretary Zhou Bingjian said that, under the great changes, enterprises should understand the risks, evaluate the opportunities, grasp the trend, take the long view, ensure legal compliance, improve risk management capabilities, clear international business bottom line and red line, make good use of the law “toolbox”, pay attention to the forefront of scientific and technological development, establish team of foreign-related legal talent, to achieve the whole process of risk prevention and control, and compliance management in vital areas.

(Hu Zhonghai, Director of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hubei Sub-Council & President of China Chamber of International Commerce, Hubei Chamber of Commerce, delivered the opening speech)

Director Hu Zhonghai pointed out that China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hubei Sub-Council will actively implement the decision and deployment from provincial party committee, the provincial government, fully implement and establish a link between the government and enterprises, advocate the function of the bridge between industry and commerce. They will hold a series of activities on business law to protect enterprises, to set up a platform for exchanges and smooth the service channels. They will help enterprises to accurately grasp the global situation evolution, flexibly adjust strategic decisions, and help enterprises to make full use of arbitration and other ways to resolve international business risks.

(Xu Zhiguo, President of Hubei Corporate Legal Counsel Association, delivered the opening speech)

President Xu Zhiguo said that, facing of new international environment and new stage of economic development, enterprises should, on the one hand, pay attention to the compliance management, cope with the uncertainty of external risk challenges with the certainty of their own compliance, on the other hand, enterprises should pay attention to establish team of foreign-related legal talent, to enhance China’s cross-border legal services competitiveness, and to better serve for the Chinese enterprises to “going global”.

(Zhao Jun, Secretary General of Hubei Law Society, delivered the opening speech)

Secretary-General Zhao Jun said that, the realization of a new pattern of development requires a high level of self-reliance and self-improvement, a smooth and connective domestic and international dual cycle, and also requires the integrated promotion of the rule of law at home and abroad. Enterprises face cultural differences, conceptual differences and rule differences in international investment and trade. Promoting international economic cooperation by means of the rule of law can safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises in the international market and promote opening-up at a higher level.

(Yang Fan, Secretary-General of CIETAC Hubei Sub-Commission, moderated the Opening Ceremony.)

(The First Keynote Speech Session, from left to right: Director Wang Xiaochen, Deputy General Manager Wang Xing, Director Zhang Hongjun)

The First Keynote Speech Session, “Export Controls and Trade Compliance Issues in Enterprises’ International Operation”, was moderated by Wang Xiaochen, Director of Legal Compliance Department from China Railway Wuhan Electrification Engineering Group Co., Ltd.. Wang Xing, Deputy General Manager of Legal Department/Board Office from CGNPC Uranium Resources Co., Ltd., introduced the export control and trade compliance issues in international operation of Chinese nuclear energy enterprises, and he put forward a compliance element building-model for enterprises to “going global”. Zhang Hongjun, Director of Trade Compliance from Changxin Memory Technology Co., Ltd., put forward the implementation strategy for compliance system from the perspective of trade compliance in semiconductor industry. He emphasized that attention should be paid to identifying the risks of trade and undue competition.

(The Second Keynote Speech Session, from left to right and top to bottom: Mr. Hua Wenbin, Mrs. Liu Xuefei, Mr. Sun Jianxin, Mr. Pan Mengchao, Mr. Shi Zhijun)

The Second Keynote Speech Session, “Risks and Responses to ‘Belt and Road’ Investment and Trade”, was moderated by Hua Wenbin, General Legal Counsel from Changjiang Industrial Investment Group Co,. Ltd. Liu Xuefei, Deputy General Manager of Legal Compliance Department from Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation, analyzed country-specific risks and compliance prevention in “Belt and Road” investment, and he emphasized enterprises should pay highly attention to labor and tax disputes in host countries. Sun Jianxin, General Legal Counsel and Director of Legal and Compliance Department from China Energy Engineering Gezhouba Group Co., Ltd., shared his experience from the perspective of project contracting risks in overseas investment. Pan Mengchao, Deputy General Legal Counsel and Director of Legal Affairs Department from China Wuhuan Engineering Co., Ltd., focused on “Belt and Road” overseas projects and investment, and put forward the ideas of conducting early investigation, taking good measures, focusing on management and having the courage on right assertion in overseas projects, overseas investment and overseas trade. Shi Zhijun, General Legal Counsel from China First metallurgical Group Co., Ltd. and Arbitrator of CIETAC, from the perspective of overseas project construction risks, he summarized the five major risks: independent guarantee, tax planning, application of law, contract price and dispute resolution, and then he proposed strategies to deal with the risks from ideological understanding to system construction.

(Dr. Li Qingming delivering a Keynote Speech)

The Third Keynote Speech Session, Li Qingming, Director of Private International Law Research Department from Institute of International Law of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, gave a presentation on “Legal Framework, Trends and Challenges in International Sanctions”. He elaborated on the institutional framework in economic sanctions, the future development trend, and the responses of international law and domestic law, and finally he proposed the response strategies for Chinese enterprises to block foreign sanctions from the perspective of the doctrinal constructs.

(The First Roundtable Discussion, Strategies and Options for Foreign Dispute Resolution)

The First Roundtable Discussion started with a dialogue on the topic of “Strategies and Options for Foreign Dispute Resolution", which was moderated by Liang Wenwen, Associate Professor from Wuhan University School of Law. Wang Wenying, former Secretary-General from CIETAC Hong Kong Arbitration Centre and Arbitrator of CIETAC, Ming Yali, Partner from East and Concord Partners (Wuhan), Xu Benzhi, Director of Legal Department of Inspur Group, Ma Hong, Partner from Beijing Jun Zejun (Shanghai) Law Offices, and Ge Huangbin, Managing Partner from Singapore Lvm Chambers and Arbitrator of CIETAC, as the guests of honor, talked about the advantages of arbitration in the selection of foreign dispute resolution, contractual design of foreign dispute resolution clauses, case management and offshore risk control, and foreign-related dispute resolution in cross-border e-commerce.

(The Second Roundtable Discussion, Ways and Paths to Cultivate Foreign Related Talents)

The Second Roundtable Discussion, “Ways and Paths to Cultivate Foreign Related Talents”, was moderated by Yang Ling, Head of the Legal Department from Central South Architectural Design Institute Co., Ltd. Jian Jisong, Director of LLM Education Centre from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Zhao Yuqi, Deputy Director of Legal Department from Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Li Qian, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer from Wuhan Urban Construction Group, and Arbitrator of CIETAC, and Li Jiang, Deputy General Manager of Chinese Law and Taxation Business from Wolters Kluwer Group, discussed the innovative cultivation of international arbitration talents, the exploration of university-enterprises cooperation model for foreign related talents, market demand oriented to the core quality of foreign related talents, and generative artificial intelligence reshaping legal practice.

At the meeting, the China Institute of Corporate Legal Affairs of Legal Daily, Yixin Group and Beijing Jun Zejun (Shanghai) Law Offices jointly released the Guidelines on Auto Finance Compliance (2023).

As an important event of China Arbitration Week, the Corporate Counsel Annual Conference (Central China) focuses on the latest achievement exchanges in corporate legal affairs and arbitration practices, and has been held for seven consecutive Conference in Wuhan since 2016, it has become an important exchange platform for business and legal communities in Hubei Province and Central China. With the integration of theory and practice, and the conversation between ideas and experiences, this Annual Conference accurately meets the needs of the industry in central China. With comprehensive and professional policy analysis and environmental prediction, this Annual Conference opens up the horizons, indicates the risks, and points out the directions for enterprises in international operation. This Annual Conference has achieved a complete success.