China: An Overview of International and Cross-Border Dispute Resolution in 2024
China: An Overview of International and Cross-Border Dispute Resolution in 2024
中国：2024年国际与跨境争议解决概况
Introduction
前言简介
The year of 2024 was an extraordinary year for international and cross-border dispute resolution. The turbulent international political environment and the complex international economic situation undoubtedly posed significant challenges and difficulties to the resolution of international and cross-border disputes. The number and complexity of such disputes are increasing day by day. However, opportunities often coexist with challenges. Moreover, China is playing an increasingly important role in the field of international and cross-border dispute resolution, due to its continuously deepening policy of opening up to the outside world, its burgeoning economy, and its increasingly perfected judicial system. In this context, cross-border litigation, international arbitration, and commercial mediation all made gratifying progress in 2024.
2024年对于国际与跨境争议解决领域而言是极不平凡的一年。动荡的国际政治环境和复杂的国际经济形势无疑给国际与跨境争议解决带来了巨大的挑战和困难，国际与跨境争议的内容纷繁复杂、数量与日俱增，但是机遇往往与挑战共存。中国也因其不断深化的对外开放政策、方兴未艾的经济发展模式、日益完善的法治体系等因素，已经并将持续在国际与跨境争议解决领域扮演重要的角色。在此背景下，跨境诉讼、国际仲裁、商事调解在2024年均取得了令人欣喜的进展。
Cross-border Litigation
跨境诉讼
On 29 January 2024, the “Arrangement on Reciprocal Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters by the Courts of the Mainland and of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” (the "2024 Arrangement") came into effect simultaneously in Mainland China and Hong Kong, replacing the previous “Arrangement on Reciprocal Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters by the Courts of the Mainland and of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Pursuant to Choice of Court Agreements” between Parties Concerned (the "2008 Arrangement"). The 2024 Arrangement removes the previous requirement for a written jurisdiction agreement stipulated in the 2008 Arrangement, ie, the parties no longer need to explicitly agree in writing that the people's courts of the mainland or the courts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have exclusive jurisdiction. This significantly expands the scope of mutual recognition and enforcement of civil and commercial judgments between the two jurisdictions. Moreover, the types of judgments recognised and enforced mutually include both monetary and non-monetary judgments. This means that about 90% of the civil and commercial judgments in Mainland China and Hong Kong will be recognised and enforced mutually. This will provide a more comprehensive judicial guarantee for cross-border litigation between the two places at the enforcement level, better protect the legitimate rights and interests of the litigants, and promote the development of cross-border litigation between the two places.
2024年1月29日，《关于内地与香港特别行政区法院相互认可和执行民商事案件判决的安排》（以下简称“《2024年安排》”）在中国内地与香港地区同时生效，而之前的《关于内地与香港特别行政区法院相互认可和执行当事人协议管辖的民商事案件判决的安排》（以下简称“《2008年安排》”）则被前者所取代。《2024年安排》取消了此前《2008年安排》规定的书面管辖协议要求，即当事人无需以书面形式明确约定内地人民法院或者香港特别行政区法院具有唯一管辖权，极大地扩大了两地法院相互认可和执行民商事案件判决的范围。而且两地相互认可和执行的判决内容既包括金钱判项，也包括非金钱判项。这意味着中国大陆与香港两地法院90%左右的民商事案件判决将得到相互认可和执行。这将为两地的跨境诉讼在执行层面提供更为全面的司法保障，更好地保护诉讼当事人的合法权益，促进两地跨境诉讼的发展。
On 18 June 2024, the Nanning Intermediate People’s Court of Railway Transport recognised and enforced a civil judgment issued by a Thai court on 16 September 2019. This marks the first time a civil and commercial judgment from a Thai court has been recognised in China. The Chinese court held that both China and Thailand are signatories to the “Nanning Statement from the Second China-ASEAN Justice Forum”, and Article 7 of this statement can be seen as reflecting a mutual understanding between the two countries. Additionally, in October 2024, the Beijing Fourth Intermediate People’s Court also recognised and enforced the damages portion of a criminal judgment from a court in Uzbekistan for the first time. These cases highlight the commitment of Chinese courts to deepen international judicial co-operation, promoting collaboration with countries along the Belt and Road Initiative in the mutual recognition and enforcement of court judgments.
另外，2024年6月18日，南宁铁路运输中级法院首次承认和执行泰国法院于2019年9月16日作出的民事判决，该案例是泰国法院的民商事判决首次在中国得到承认。中国法院认为中国和泰国均是《第二届中国-东盟大法官论坛南宁声明》的签署国，该声明第七条可视为两国之间存在互惠共识。此外，2024年10月，北京四中院也首次承认与执行了乌兹别克斯坦共和国法院刑事判决中损害赔偿部分。两起案件展示了中国法院进一步深化国际司法协助的决心，这有利于加强中国和“一带一路”沿线国家在相互承认和执行法院判决方面的合作。
International Arbitration
国际仲裁
Chinese Courts' Support for International Arbitration in Groundbreaking Cases
中国法院在多个突破性案例中展现了对国际仲裁的支持
First and foremost, a case handled by the author’s team has achieved a significant breakthrough in the examination of the validity of foreign-related arbitration agreements. Chinese courts generally hold that parties can only submit disputes with foreign-related elements to foreign arbitration institutions. Sino-foreign joint ventures and wholly foreign-owned enterprises are considered legal entities registered in China and are not classified as foreign enterprises or organisations, thus lacking foreign-related elements. However, in the case of (2013) Hu Yi Zhong Min Ren (Wai Zhong) No. 2, both parties were wholly foreign-owned enterprises registered within the China’s Free Trade Zones (FTZs), For the first time, a Chinese court made a groundbreaking determination that such enterprises have relatively distinct foreign-related elements, thereby upholding the validity of the arbitration agreement signed by both parties. Besides, in July 2024, the Suzhou Intermediate People’s Court supported the viewpoint of the author’s team in its ruling and, for the first time, confirmed the validity of arbitration agreements stipulating that disputes involving wholly foreign-owned enterprises and foreign-controlled enterprises within FTZs can be also submitted to foreign arbitration. The court expanded the criteria for identifying foreign-related elements from “wholly foreign-owned enterprises” in FTZs to also include “foreign-invested joint ventures.” It held that arbitration agreements between foreign-invested enterprises registered within FTZs, stipulating the submission of commercial disputes to foreign arbitration, should not be deemed invalid solely on the grounds of lacking apparent foreign-related elements. Instead, the court emphasised that a comprehensive review of contract details and the context of the agreement should be conducted, thereby broadening and relaxing the conditions for recognising foreign-related elements.
首先，由笔者团队承办的一起案件在涉外仲裁协议的效力审查方面取得了重大突破。中国法院一般认为当事人只能将具有涉外因素的争议提交境外仲裁机构仲裁，而中外合资企业、外商独资企业均是中国境内注册的企业法人，不属于外国企业或组织，因此不具有涉外因素。在（2013）沪一中民认（外仲）字第2号案件中，双方当事人均为注册地在自贸试验区内的外商独资企业，中国法院首次突破性认定此类企业具有较为明显的涉外因素，因此双方签署的仲裁协议有效。
2024年7月，苏州市中级人民法院在裁定中支持了笔者团队的观点，首次确认在中国自贸区内的外商独资企业和外资控股企业约定将争议提交域外仲裁的仲裁协议也有效。法院将涉外因素的认定标准，从自贸区“外商独资企业”，进一步扩大到“外商合资企业”，认为在自贸区内注册的外商投资企业相互之间约定商事争议提交域外仲裁的，不应仅以其争议不具有明显的涉外因素为由认定相关仲裁协议无效，还应结合合同细节以及缔约背景等因素进行审查，进一步扩张和放宽涉外性的认定条件。
Additionally, in October 2024, the Beijing Fourth Intermediate People’s Court reviewed, confirmed, and enforced an interim measure issued by the Beijing Arbitration Commission in an international arbitration case. This marked the first case in China where an interim measure decided by an arbitral tribunal was preserved and effectively enforced by a court. These two cases reflect the Chinese courts' commitment to supporting arbitration and send a clear signal to the international community about China's dedication to promoting the development of international commercial arbitration and its efforts to establish itself as a hub for international commercial arbitration.
另外，2024年10月，北京四中院审查确认并执行了北京仲裁委员会仲裁庭在一起国际仲裁案件中作出的临时措施，成为全国首例由仲裁庭作出临时措施决定并由法院裁定保全并实际执行的仲裁案件。上述两起案件展现了中国法院支持仲裁的理念，向外界传递中国促进国际商事仲裁发展、支持打造国际商事仲裁中心的信号。
China's Strengthened Support for International Arbitration, Creating Development Opportunities for Ad Hoc Arbitration
中国加强对国际仲裁的支持力度，临时仲裁在中国迎来发展机遇
On 23 February 2024, the Shanghai High People's Court issued the "Shanghai Court's Special Action Plan for Further Promoting the Construction of a Rule of Law Environment for Business (Version 7.0)", deciding to strengthen judicial support for arbitration procedures. Optimising the jurisdiction mechanism for arbitration judicial cases, studying the judicial review rules for "three-specific" ad hoc arbitration (the so-called "three-specific" ad hoc arbitration refers to ad hoc arbitration in the commercial and maritime fields involving foreign elements, agreed to take place in specific locations in Mainland China (such as Shanghai), in accordance with specific arbitration rules, and conducted by specific individuals.)
2024年2月23日，上海市高级人民法院发布《上海法院深入推进法治化营商环境建设专项行动计划（7.0版）》，决定加强对仲裁程序的司法支持。优化仲裁司法案件管辖机制，研究“三特定”临时仲裁配套司法审查规则（所谓“三特定”临时仲裁，是指在具有涉外因素的商事、海事领域，约定在内地特定地点（如上海）、按照特定仲裁规则、由特定人员进行的临时仲裁。）
On 13 June 2024, the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Justice issued “the Shanghai Interim Arbitration Promotion Measures for Foreign-Related Commercial and Maritime Cases (Trial)” (referred to as the Promotion Measures), which came into effect on 1 August 2024. The Promotion Measures consist of 19 articles covering topics such as the scope of application for interim arbitration, the selection of arbitrators, arbitration rules, services provided by arbitration institutions, and the advancement and safeguarding of arbitration procedures. While aligning with international norms and drawing on the beneficial practices of interim arbitration in locations such as London and Hong Kong, the Promotion Measures are tailored to China's national conditions and the practical needs of Shanghai's arbitration work, ensuring the operability, compatibility, and predictability of interim arbitration. On 1 August 2024, the Shanghai Arbitration Association released the “Shanghai Arbitration Association Interim Arbitration Rules”, which parties may agree to adopt, providing practical guidance for the application of Shanghai's "Three-Specific" arbitration framework.
2024年6月13日，上海市司法局发布《上海市涉外商事海事临时仲裁推进办法（试行）》（简称《推进办法》），自2024年8月1日起施行。《推进办法》共19条，包括临时仲裁适用范围，选定仲裁员、仲裁规则，仲裁机构提供服务，仲裁程序推进和保障等内容。《推进办法》在对标国际通行规则，借鉴伦敦、香港等地开展临时仲裁有益经验做法的同时，立足中国的国情和上海市的仲裁工作实际，保障了临时仲裁的操作性、接轨性和可预期性。2024年8月1日，上海仲裁协会发布《上海仲裁协会临时仲裁规则》，供当事人约定适用，为上海“三特定”仲裁的适用提供了切实可行的指引。
The publication of the above official documents provides strong judicial guarantees for the further development of Mainland China in the field of international arbitration, especially in the field of ad hoc arbitration. This move will help Mainland China create an arbitration-friendly judicial environment while enhancing the international influence and competitiveness of Chinese justice.
上述官方文件的公布，为中国大陆在国际仲裁领域，特别是临时仲裁领域的进一步发展提供有力的司法保障。此举将助力中国大陆营造仲裁友好型司法环境，同时提高中国司法国际影响力和竞争力。
Commercial Mediation
商事调解
The establishment of the International Mediation Institute has entered the implementation phase. Since 2022, more than a dozen countries, including China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Laos, and Cambodia, have signed or expressed support for the Joint Statement on the Establishment of the International Mediation Institute. On 21 October 2022, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region signed the Arrangement on Establishing a Preparatory Office for the International Mediation Institute in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. On 16 February 2023, the Preparatory Office for the International Mediation Institute was officially established in Hong Kong. From 14–17 October 2024, the fifth negotiation conference on the Convention on the Establishment of the International Mediation Institute (the Convention) was held in the Hong Kong SAR. The conference successfully completed negotiations on the Convention and decided to hold a signing ceremony for the Convention in the Hong Kong SAR in 2025. It is believed that in the near future, the successful establishment of the International Mediation Institute will provide an new platform for international commercial mediation and further enhance the role of mediation in resolving international and cross-border disputes.
国际调解院的建立工作进入了具体实施阶段：2022年以来，中国、印度尼西亚、巴基斯坦、老挝、柬埔寨等十几个国家签署或支持《关于建立国际调解院的联合声明》。2022年10月21日，中国外交部与香港特别行政区政府签署《关于在香港特别行政区设立国际调解院筹备办公室的安排》。2023年2月16日，国际调解院筹备办公室正式在香港成立。2024年10月14日至17日，《关于建立国际调解院的公约》（《公约》）第五届谈判会议在中国香港特区举行。会议圆满完成了《公约》谈判，并决定于2025年在香港特区择期举办《公约》签署仪式。相信在不久的将来，国际调解院的顺利成立将为国际商事调解提供一个新的平台，更好地发挥调解在国际与跨境争议解决方面的积极作用。
Conclusion
结语
Overall, from the perspective of China in 2024, the landscape of international and cross-border dispute resolution – spanning cross-border litigation, international arbitration, and commercial mediation – continues to demonstrate a positive and steadily improving trajectory. As legal practitioners engaged in international and cross-border dispute resolution, we must remain attuned to the times and act in alignment with the prevailing trends. Only by seizing the opportunities presented can we advance with the momentum and rise to greater heights!
总体而言，从2024年的中国视角来看，国际与跨境争议解决在跨境诉讼、国际仲裁、商事调解等领域的基本概况均呈现出不断发展向好的趋势。而作为投身于国际与跨境争议解决的法律工作者，我们必须做到审时度势，顺势而为,方能借势而进,乘势而上！