From October 14 to 15, 2024, the 11th CAM-CCBC Arbitration Congress and the 17th Biennial Conference of the International Federation of Commercial Arbitration Institutions (IFCAI)  were held in São Paulo, Brazil, as the flagship opening event of São Paulo Arbitration Week. The event was co-hosted by IFCAI and the Center for Arbitration and Mediation of the Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CAM-CCBC).  It brought together arbitration professionals from around the globe, including experts from Asia, North America, Europe, and South America, and representatives from major arbitration institutions such as the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC),  the German Arbitration Institute (DIS),  the New York International Arbitration Center (NYIAC),  and the Arbitration Center of the Lima Chamber of Commerce (CCL).  The participants engaged in in-depth discussions and exchanges on the theme of “Arbitration Today and Tomorrow: The Latest Challenges and Trends in Arbitration.”

São Paulo Arbitration Week was established in 2019 with the goal of promoting the development of alternative dispute resolution methods by providing a platform for professional exchanges among law firms, universities, associations, and institutions. The 2024 São Paulo Arbitration Week hosted over 30 specialized events, attracting more than 1,000 legal professionals from around the world, which has become one of the most influential events in the global arbitration community.

Founded in 1985, IFCAI currently consists of 52 member organizations worldwide. The federation aims to establish and maintain permanent relationships between commercial arbitration institutions, facilitate the exchange of extensive information on arbitration and mediation, encourage the responsible use of these dispute resolution techniques, and promote the exchange of information on services provided by its member organizations.

As a member of IFCAI, the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (“CIETAC”) was invited to attend the arbitration congress and biennial conference. Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman and Deputy Secretary General of CIETAC, attended the event and exchanged views with representatives from prominent arbitration institutions worldwide.

Lu Fei, Director of the Business and Development Division of CIETAC, was invited to serve as a speaker in a panel discussion on “The Influence of Legal Culture on the Production of Evidence in Arbitration.” In her speech, Director Lu introduced the current status and characteristics of the evidence system in China, from the perspective of the differences in legal culture and the unique features of Chinese arbitration law. She used CIETAC’s “Guidelines on Evidence” as an example to illustrate CIETAC’s efforts to integrate international practices with China’s distinctive characteristics in order better to serve its increasingly international caseload and global parties. Her presentation sparked great interest and attention from the attendees.

During the breaks in the conference, the CIETAC delegation held in-depth discussions with Rodrigo Garcia da Fonseca, CAM-CCBC President and Ismail Selim, President of IFCAI. Both parties explored ways to strengthen institutional cooperation, enhance the role of arbitration in promoting economic and trade relations, and drive the integrated development of international arbitration. They reached a broad consensus on deepening exchange and cooperation in the international arbitration field and jointly promoting the prosperity and development of international arbitration.

Throughout the conference, the CIETAC delegation also engaged extensively with representatives from other arbitration institutions, international arbitration experts, and legal professionals, fostering mutual understanding and promoting cooperation.

This visit by the CIETAC delegation not only promoted CIETAC’s latest developments and contributed Chinese insights to the global arbitration community but also strengthened communication and exchanges with the international arbitration community, effectively enhancing CIETAC’s reputation and influence on the global arbitration stage.