The China Maritime Arbitration Commission (CMAC) delegation led by Dr CHEN Bo, CMAC Deputy Secretary-General, was invited to attend the 15th IFCAI Biennial Conference in Helsinki. The event, entitled Roles and Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders in Conflict Resolution – Finding the Right Balance to Maximize Strategic and Effective Conflict Resolution, was co-organized by the Arbitration Institute of the Finland Chamber of Commerce (FAI) and the International Federation of Commercial Arbitration Institutions (IFCAI), from Thursday 23 to Friday 24 May 2019. CMAC is one of the 52 member organizations of the IFCAI.

The topic of the event was strategic and effective conflict management from the point of view of different stakeholders. The first panel ‘Conflict Diagnosis, Conflict Resolution Strategies and Versatile Use of ADR Mechanisms - How to Use These Tools for Strategic and Effective Conflict Resolution?’ focused on conflict diagnosis, conflict resolution strategies, arbitration and ADR methods for strategic and effective conflict resolution. The second panel: ‘Issues Giving Arbitrators a Headache when Striving for an Effective Arbitral Process - What Are the Topical Questions?’ focused on effective conduction of arbitration in the face of current challenges in the arbitration scene. The third panel - Interplay Between Arbitral Tribunals and State Courts during the Arbitral Proceedings - How to Find the Right Balance? - addressed how to enhance the interplay between state courts and arbitral tribunals. The final interview session ‘What Will International Arbitration/ Dispute Resolution Look Like in 10 years?’ offered a glimpse into the future of international arbitration and dispute resolution in an era of artificial intelligence.

A record number of more than 250 participants from 26 countries and 17 international arbitral institutions attended the event. In the conference, the CMAC delegates met with representatives from various jurisdictions and introduced the latest development of China’s maritime arbitration.