On September 28, 2020, the 10th South China Business & Law Forum, organized by the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA) with the support of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, was held in Shenzhen.

The venue of the 10th South China Business & Law Forum

Themed "Dispute Resolution for Chinese Enterprises: New Context, New Issues, and New Ideas", the forum focused on two main topics: "New Issues Facing Dispute Resolution for Chinese Enterprises" and "New Measures for Dispute Resolution for Chinese Enterprises". With the support of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Commerce, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) of the State Council, as well as of courts and relevant departments at all levels of provinces and cities, the forum gathered over 200 participants including senior executives from domestic and foreign enterprises, experts, scholars, seasoned lawyers, arbitrators, and judges. Together, they explored the challenges and responses faced by various types of enterprises such as high-tech, aviation, construction, manufacturing, internet, venture capital, and small and medium-sized businesses under the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and world trade competition.

The opening ceremony was presided over by Dr. Liu Xiaochun, President of the SCIA.

The forum also analysed and discussed new measures for commercial dispute resolution in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) from different perspectives, including legislative bodies, arbitration institutions, regulatory authorities, and courts. The forum was also conducted via live online streaming.

Luo Wenzhi, Director of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress, extended a welcome speech.

In his welcome address, Luo Wenzhi, Director of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress, extended a warm welcome on behalf of the Shenzhen Municipal Government. He noted that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, a critical year for the comprehensive advancement of the GBA and the construction of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone as a apilot city. The theme of this forum is in line with the needs of the times and reality, and it is also a good opportunity to publicize and interpret the Ordinance on the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (hereinafter referred to as the "Ordinance"). The Ordinance is China's first local legislation specifically targeting arbitration institutions, and will come into effect on October 1 this year. They provide strong legal guarantees for the independent, fair, impartial and efficient resolution of domestic and foreign commercial disputes by the SCIA. They are of great significance for fully leveraging the role of arbitration services in reform and economic and social development, and creating a stable, fair, transparent, and predictable international first-class legal business environment. Standing at a new historical starting point, Luo encouraged the SCIA to seize the favourable opportunities of the comprehensive reform pilot implementation plan by the central government, and to join hands with Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR to build an international arbitration benchmark city and international commercial dispute resolution highland serving the whole country and facing the world. He further encouraged the SCIA to continue to provide higher-quality and more efficient dispute resolution services for domestic and foreign commercial entities, and to further enhance the credibility and competitiveness of Chinese international arbitration.

Yang Wanming, Vice President of the SPC, delivered the opening address.

Following Luo's welcome remarks, Yang Wanming, Vice President of the SPC, delivered the opening address on behalf of the SPC. In his speech, he emphasized that the theme of this forum is in line with the domestic and international situation, responds to the urgent needs of domestic and foreign market entities, and is of great significance.

He pointed out that on August 26 this year, the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress passed the Ordinance, which set a precedent for the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of a special administrative region to enact special legislation for arbitration institutions. This highlights the attention paid by the country and the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone to the continued development of the international arbitration business in Shenzhen. Finally, he stated that the SPC will work together with all sectors of society to correctly understand the current economic situation, actively integrate into the tide of reform and opening up, optimize the business environment, improve the legal system, respond to risks and challenges, help Chinese enterprises develop healthily, help build the Special Economic Zone as a pilot demonstration area, and promote China to deeper reform, institute higher-level opening up, and make new achievements.

Tian Fu, Member of the Standing Committee of Shenzhen Municipal Committee, announced the list of the 10th South China Business & Law Forum chairpersons.

After the opening speeches, Tian Fu, Member of the Standing Committee of Shenzhen Municipal Committee, announced the list of the 10th South China Business & Law Forum chairpersons. A total of 20 chief legal counsels from well-known enterprises were appointed as the new chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the forum and came on stage to accept their appointment letters. Tian Fu and Prof. Shen Sibao, Chairman of the SCIA Council and Chairman of the China International Economic and Trade Law Association, presented appointment letters to the newly appointed chairpersons.

Group photo of some members of the presidium of the 10th South China Business & Law Forum.

Chen Weihua, the Chairperson of the forum and General Counsel of China Southern Airlines Co Ltd, served as the moderator for the first session of the forum.

After the opening ceremony, the forum entered the first session, with Chen Weihua, General Counsel of China Southern Airlines Co Ltd, serving as the moderator for this session.

Zhu Xiaolei, Deputy Director of the Policy and Regulations Department of the SASAC, delivered a keynote speech at the forum.

This session began with a keynote speech by Zhu Xiaolei, Deputy Director of the Policy and Regulations Department of the SASAC. Zhu provided suggestions for enterprises from five aspects: first, emphasize goals and focus on deepening the cultivation of world-class enterprises; second, actively adapt and seek change and effectively enhance the ability to prevent and respond to foreign legal risks; third, provide services for the reform and development of enterprises, accelerate the construction of a compliance management system; fourth, make full use of diversified dispute resolution mechanisms to efficiently resolve disputes; fifth, actively participate in the construction of a legal community and form a strong force to promote the rule of law in enterprises. He also stated that this forum provides a rare opportunity to discuss and solve new situations and existing problems, and to plan new measures for enterprise legal construction. He hoped that all sectors of society would work together to make the forum one that can be assessed, verified, and practical, providing strong support for enterprises to move ahead steadily and extensively.

Following Zhu's speech, representatives from seven different industries spoke on the new issues facing enterprises in the field of dispute resolution under the new circumstances.

Cheng Xuxin, Deputy Director of the Intellectual Property Department of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, analyzed the challenges facing Chinese high-tech enterprises and proposed countermeasures.

Guo Junxiu, vice-chairperson of the forum and the General Counsel of China Eastern Airlines Co Ltd, introduced the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on airlines and related legal issues for epidemic prevention and control, and shared several insights for legal professionals in epidemic prevention and control.

Qin Yuxiu, Vice-chairperson of the forum and the Researcher and Former General Counsel of China Construction Co Ltd, discussed various aspects of the current pressures and coping measures faced by the construction industry.

Wang Yu, Vice-chairperson of the forum and Assistant President and General Counsel of China International Marine Containers (Group) Co Ltd, analyzed the situation of trade disputes in various countries under the current global changes and the challenges faced by Chinese enterprises.

Jiang Bo, Vice-President and Deputy General Counsel of Tencent, shared new paths and new solutions for copyright protection from the perspective of technological innovation.

Xie Xuejun, Vice-chairperson of the forum and Partner and General Counsel of SAIF Investment, made a keynote speech.

Lyu Zhe, Deputy Director of the Service Bureau for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises of Shenzhen Municipality, made a keynote speech.

Prof. Huang Yaying, Council Member of the SCIA and Vice Chairman of the China International Economic and Trade Law Association.

The second session of the forum, themed on "New Measures for Dispute Resolution for Chinese Enterprises", was chaired by Prof. Huang Yaying, Council Member of the SCIA and Vice Chairman of the China International Economic and Trade Law Association. Lin Zhengmao, Deputy Director of the Legislative Affairs Committee of Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress; Dr. Liu Xiaochun, President of SCIA; Fu Yan, Deputy Director and Director of the Legal Department of the Listed Company Regulatory Committee of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange; Yanli Si, Deputy Director of the Research Office of the SPC, and Wang Shumei, Chief Judge of the Civil Adjudication Tribunal No 4 of the SPC, respectively made special speeches from the perspectives of legislative bodies, arbitration institutions, regulatory authorities, and courts.

Lin Zhengmao, Deputy Director of the Legislative Affairs Committee of Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress.

Dr. Liu Xiaochun, President of the SCIA.

Fu Yan, Deputy Director and Director of the Legal Department of the Listed Company Regulatory Committee of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Si Yanli, Deputy Director of the Research Office of the SPC.

Wang Shumei, Chief Judge of Civil Adjudication Tribunal No 4 of the SPC.

Li Xiongfeng, Secretary of the SCIA Council, presided over the closing ceremony.

Finally, Li Xiongfeng, Secretary of the SCIA Council, presided over the closing ceremony, where Prof. Shen Sibao, Chairman of the SCIA Council and Chairman of China International Economic and Trade Law Association, delivered the closing speech for this forum.

He pointed out that the significance of the promulgation of the Ordinance is significant, as the Ordinance is the crystallization of the wisdom of legislation in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, and also points out the direction for the future work of the SCIA. He emphasized that in the background of the global COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to pay more attention to the role of mediation in dispute resolution, and at the same time to strengthen technical input and institutional construction for online arbitration.

Prof. Shen Sibao, Chairman of the SCIA Council and Chairman of the China International Economic and Trade Law Association, delivered the closing speech for the forum.

The forum, with the 40th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, focused on the hot spots of the COVID-19 pandemic, the international situation, the construction of the GBA and building Shenzhen into a pilot demonstration area. It better consolidated the consensus of the business community and the legal community to cope with new challenges, promoted innovation in international commercial dispute resolution by Chinese and foreign enterprises, arbitration institutions, courts, and related institutions, provided more convenient and free commercial dispute resolution services to market entities, and promoted the construction of a world-class rule of law and internationalized business environment.

Guo Xiaohui, Council Member of the SCIA and Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the Shenzhen Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment, delivered a speech and shared her experience in arbitration at a networking event after the forum.