Top court expands international commercial mediation with diverse expert committee

China's Supreme People's Court has appointed 63 professionals from 26 countries and regions to its International Commercial Expert Committee, aimed at mediating international commercial disputes and enhancing the rule of law in foreign affairs.

Originally established in August 2018, the committee's recent reappointments come as some members' terms expired. The top court added new experts to further enrich its think tank.

Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People's Court, commended the committee for its efforts over the past few years in mediating international commercial cases. He emphasized the importance of providing equal protection to all litigants, regardless of their nationality. Zhang urged the committee to delve deeper into disputes related to international trade, investment, shipping, energy, and infrastructure, leveraging their professional expertise for more effective and diverse dispute resolution.

He also called for increased international exchanges to support the high-quality development associated with the Belt and Road Initiative.

In recent years, China has intensified its focus on handling international commercial disputes. In June 2018, the Supreme People's Court established two international commercial courts in Shenzhen and Xi'an, which work alongside the expert committee to facilitate mediation between litigants.