King & Wood Mallesons delighted to contribute to the 2024 China chapter of AI-Generated Content and Copyright published by Thomson Reuters Practical Law

As the revision of the Arbitration Law of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC Arbitration Law”) progresses, ad hoc arbitration is gaining more attention in China. Previously, there was discussion on whether ad hoc arbitration will truly take root in the country. Recently, there have been notable advancements in the adoption of practical rules surrounding ad hoc arbitration in certain regions while on the national level, there appears to be more of a cautious stance in expanding the scope of ad hoc arbitration. This article provides a brief summary of these developments, starting with a national perspective and discussion of the key issues regarding the draft amendments to the PRC Arbitration Law. The article then ends with an overview of regional efforts to introduce ad hoc arbitration, including initiatives under the current regional system in Shanghai.dispute resolution and litigation-domestic arbitration

On January 12, 2025, the Guangdong Provincial Government introduced the Measures for High-Quality Development of Capital Markets to Support Guangdong’s Modernization (the “Measures”). These Measures lay out a detailed framework aimed at strengthening Guangdong’s multi-tiered capital markets, boosting tech-driven enterprises, and improving the overall quality of listed companies. The overarching goal is to position Guangdong as leading financial hub and embrace innovation to attract global investment.

On January 16, 2025, the General Office of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government released the Implementation Plan for Promoting the High-Quality Development of Digital Trade and Service Trade in Shanghai (the “Implementation Plan”). This strategic blueprint aims to establish Shanghai as a global hub for digital trade, which includes digital products, and technology-driven trade, as well as service trade, covering sectors such as finance, insurance, logistics, and cultural services. With a strong focus on reform, innovation, and the opening of key sectors, the Implementation Plan sets out a series of priorities and actionable steps to achieve these goals by 2029.