China Maritime Arbitration Commission (CMAC) and Vancouver Maritime Arbitrators Association (VMAA) jointly hosted the China-Canada Maritime Arbitration Legal Practice Seminar (Ningbo station) on November 25, 2019 in Ningbo. This seminar, organized by the Ningbo Council for the Promotion of International Trade, is one of a series of activities to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of CMAC. The conference focused on two topics, "Development and Innovation of Foreign Maritime Dispute Resolution paths" and "Practical Experience in Foreign Maritime Dispute Resolution under the Background of One Belt and One Road", and attracted more than 120 participants from the arbitration, judicial, business, legal and academic circles.

The opening ceremony of the seminar was presided over by Mr. XU Guangxian, Chairman of CCPIT Ningbo. Mr. LU Pengqi, Vice Chairman of CCPIT and Vice Director of CMAC, Mr. LI Guanding, Vice Mayor of Ningbo Municipal People's Government, and Dennis Pong, Chairman of VMAA attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

(From top left to bottom right are: Mr. XU Guangxian, Chairman of CCPIT Ningbo; Mr. LI Guanding, Vice Mayor of Ningbo Municipal People's Government; Mr. LU Pengqi, Vice Chairman of CCPIT and Vice Director of CMAC; and Dennis Pong, Chairman of VMAA)

Mr. LI Guanding, Vice Mayor of Ningbo Municipal People's Government, first introduced Ningbo as the port of departure of the ancient "Maritime Silk Road" and an important node city in the construction of "One Belt and One Road" in his welcome speech. He said that the seminar will play a positive role in promoting China's maritime arbitration international cooperation and improving the level of maritime legal services. He also hoped that the experts and scholars can give more opinions and suggestions for Ningbo to further optimize maritime legal services, optimize business environment, promote the development of port and shipping industry and foreign trade, and help Ningbo to build a more influential new international trade center and a higher-level international port city.

Dennis Pong, Chairman of VMAA, said that Both Ningbo and Vancouver are regions with developed shipping trade and have a good foundation for developing international maritime arbitration services. Both cities are also known for their beautiful sceneries and livable climate. He believed that both cities have a lot in common and can benefit from this China-Canada Maritime Arbitration Legal Practice Seminar. In his speech, Mr. LU Pengqi, Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and Vice Director of CMAC, affirmed the important value of cooperation and exchange between Chinese and foreign arbitration institutions in developing commercial arbitration, optimizing the business environment of the "One Belt and One Road" and promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and it puts forward higher requirements for the future development direction and service level of CMAC. He pointed out that this year marks the 60th anniversary of CMAC, and China's maritime arbitration, represented by CMAC, is ushering in a new era. Standing at a new historical starting point, CMAC will take keeping the arbitration credibility, influence and competitiveness as core, the "big traffic" "great logistics" as the business direction to greatly improve arbitration service quality and efficiency. CMAC will stay true to our original aspiration and keep our mission in mind and start again on the journey of international development, professional development and high-quality development.

Topic 1 "Development and Innovation of Foreign Maritime Dispute Resolution Paths" was presided over by Professor YU Shicheng, the former president of Shanghai Maritime University and arbitrator of CMAC. Starting from the characteristics of maritime arbitration in China, Dr. Chen Bo, Deputy Secretary-General of CMAC and Vice President of the Court of Arbitration, discussed how to use maritime arbitration to promote the improvement of business environment and the healthy development of economic and trade in the region. Mr. John Joseph McIntyre, Vice Chairman of VMAA and a famous lawer in Canada, explained the characteristics of the arbitration rules of VMAA with the title of "Highlights of the New Arbitration Rules of Vancouver Maritime Arbitrators Association". Mr. YU Feng, a partner of Zhonglun Law Firm and an arbitrator of CMAC, explained in detail the advantages and characteristics of arbitration as well as the differences between domestic and foreign arbitration on the topic of "Settlement of Transnational Maritime Disputes by Arbitration", focusing on the key issues of dispute settlement of shipping and related enterprises. Mr. Peter Swanson, the former chairman of VMAA and a famous lawer in Canada, elaborated on the recognition and enforcement of foreign-related arbitration awards under the Canadian legal system through the introduction of classic cases. 

(From top left to bottom right:Dr.Chen Bo, Deputy Secretary of CMAC; Mr. John Joseph McIntyre, a famous Canadian lawyer, Vice Chairman of VMAA; Mr. YU Feng, a partner of Zhongren Law Firm and arbitrator of CMAC, Peter Swanson, the former Chairman of VMAA and a famous Canadian lawyer)

(Left: Professor YU Shicheng, the former president of Shanghai Maritime University and arbitrator of CMAC; Right: Ms. LIANG Hua, director and arbitrator of VMAA)

Topic 2, "Practical Experience in Foreign Maritime Dispute Resolution under the Background of One Belt and One Road ", was presided over by Ms. LIANG Hua, director and arbitrator of VMAA. Mr. HUANG Shungang, senior consultant of STAR Han Law Firm, shared his experience in foreign maritime arbitration and summarized his arbitration skills from the perspective of lawyers, combining with cases in Zhejiang. Mr. Dennis Pong, Chairman of VMAA, introduced the Law of Arbitration in Canada, and proposed that Vancouver could be one choice of dispute resolution for Sino-American and Sino-Canadian commercial transactions. Mr. HU Jianxin, a full-time member of the Trial Committee of Ningbo Maritime Court and the chief judge of the Free Trade Zone Maritime Court, gave a speech titled "Foreign-related Maritime Trials and Judicial Review of Arbitration -- from the Perspective of Trial Practice of Ningbo Maritime Court". He introduced the latest practice of judicial review of arbitration from the perspective of arbitration related cases of Ningbo Maritime Court. Mr. Peter Swanson, the former Chairman of VMAA and a famous Canadian lawer, introduced the practice of Canada's provisional safeguards in international commercial Arbitration under the Uncitral Model Law.

(From top left to bottom right: Mr. Dennis Pong, Chairman of VMAA; Mr. HU Jianxin, full time member of Ningbo Maritime Court Trial Committee and President of Free Trade Zone Maritime Court; Mr. Peter Swanson, the former chairman of VMAA and a famous Canadian lawer)

In the question-and-answer session that followed, participants actively asked questions to the speakers, and the atmosphere was lively.

In her closing speech, Dr. CHEN Bo, Deputy Secretary-General of CMAC, expressed her sincere thanks to the organizer of the seminar, CCPIT Ningbo, for its strong support and spoke highly of all the hosts and speakers for their wonderful speeches. She said that the CMAC will, as always, build a platform for the general maritime practice sector and provide more opportunities for international exchanges.

Finally, VMAA also presented a gift to CCPIT Ningbo.

(Right: Ms. HUANG Ping, Vice President of CCPIT Ningbo)

CMAC and VMAA have established a long-term good cooperation and interaction relationship, and in 2018, the two sides updated the cooperation agreement signed by the two sides, and the two sides have cooperated for many times in China and Canada in jointly holding seminars.This China-Canada Maritime Arbitration Legal Practice Seminar is another important step to deepen practical cooperation and promote exchanges and development of China-Canada maritime arbitration.