On October 14, 2025, the 2025 China-South Asia and Southeast Asia Commercial Legal Cooperation Forum (Forum) was successfully held in Kunming. The Forum was co-hosted by the Yunnan Sub-council of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT Yunnan), the Kunming Municipal People’s Government, and the Regional Business Organization of South Asia (SAARC) Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Dr. Li Hu, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of CMAC, was invited to attend the Forum and deliver a keynote speech. During the Forum, CMAC, together with the CCPIT Yunnan, the Yunnan Law Society, and the Yunnan Lawyers Association, jointly released the Guidelines for Ad Hoc Arbitration in China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone (Guidelines).

(Official release of the Guidelines)

The release of the Guidelines has promptly responded to the provisions on ad hoc arbitration set forth in the newly amended Arbitration Law of the PRC. The Guidelines systematically outline the procedural rules and key considerations for domestic and foreign enterprises conducting ad hoc arbitration in the China (Yunnan) Pilot FTZ, meets the practical needs of parties for diversified arbitration services, and provides guidance for market entities to resolve disputes by choosing ad hoc arbitration. The Guidelines also promote ad hoc arbitration practices that is rooted in China’s national conditions, underpinned by advanced concepts, aligned with international standards, and characterized by orderly and flexible operation. This will further optimize the business environment of the Pilot FTZ and boost its high-quality development.