VIAC had a meeting with the delegates from Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA)

HANOI, Vietnam – On 13^th October 2024, the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) had a meeting with the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA) to discuss potential cooperation in cross-border dispute resolution. In attendance were Prof. Dr. Le Hong Hanh – President of VIAC, Mr. Vu Anh Duong – Permanent Vice President cum Secretary General of VIAC, along with Dr. Liu Xiaochun – President of SCIA, Executive Chairman of SCIAHK and Mr. Huang Guoyong – Director of International Cooperation and Development Department representing the delegation of SCIA. The meeting focused on fostering stronger connections and exploring joint initiatives to promote the development of arbitration and mediation in Vietnam and China.

At the start of the meeting, Prof. Dr. Le Hong Hanh – President of VIAC, warmly welcomed the SCIA delegation, expressing his sincere greetings and pleasure at their visit. He briefly reflected on the robust trade relations between Vietnam and China, highlighting the significant economic cooperation between the two nations. Prof. Hanh emphasized that economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries has grown steadily, becoming a notable highlight in their relationship in recent years. China has consistently remained Vietnam's top trading partner and second largest export market, while Vietnam holds the position of China’s largest trading partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ranks as China's fifth largest trading partner globally, following the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and Russia. He also shared his strong belief and optimism in the continued development of these ties, voicing his expectations for new advancements and deeper economic collaboration between the two sides in the near future.

Following that, Mr. Vu Anh Duong delivered his remarks on VIAC introduction. VIAC was established in 1993 on the basis of the merger of Foreign Trade Arbitration Council (established in 1963) and the Maritime Arbitration Council (established in 1964). As the leading Vietnamese arbitration and mediation institution with international credibility VIAC has administered thousands of domestic and international disputes in various fields of commerce. VIAC is also the only arbitration institution in Vietnam known to handle international disputes with participation of disputing parties from many countries and territories that are important trade and investment partners of Vietnam. Throughout over three decades of its operation, VIAC has been spreading its wing as a reputable international mediation and arbitration institution in Vietnam, gaining trust and becoming the destination for both domestic and international business communities.

Exchanging with VIAC’s representatives, Dr. Liu Xiaochun - President of SCIA, Executive Chairman of SCIAHK extended his greetings and expressed gratitude towards VIAC’s Executive Board for welcoming and entering conversations. He shared that SCIA, founded in 1983, has a similarly significant role in China, being the first arbitration institution in the Greater Bay Area. It assists Chinese and international parties in resolving commercial disputes and is recognized for its commitment to independence, impartiality, and innovation in its arbitration processes. SCIA has embraced technology in arbitration, introducing systems such as e-Court, e-Judge, and e-Arbitration, which streamline the resolution process.

Recognizing that both VIAC and SCIA share the common objective of promoting effective dispute resolution and strengthening trade relations, particularly through mechanisms like arbitration and mediation, the two institutions explored potential collaborative initiatives. With the strong trade and investment connections between Vietnam and China, there is a growing demand for alternative dispute resolution methods to manage commercial conflicts.

Mr. Huang Guoyong – Director of International Cooperation and Development Department, highlighted that, as leading institutions in their respective regions, VIAC and SCIA’s cooperation in advancing ADR will significantly benefit the business communities in both Vietnam and China. This collaboration will help strengthen economic ties, promoting greater trade, commerce, and investment between the two nations, as well as enhancing their connections with other global economies.  

Ms. Vu Thi Hang – Head of International Cooperation at VIAC, noted that VIAC has collaborated with other Chinese arbitration institution in the past. Notably, on September 25, 2024, a VIAC delegation met with representatives from the Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Law Society, and the Bar Association of Hong Kong in Ho Chi Minh City. Earlier, on May 8, 2024, VIAC and the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) co-hosted a seminar titled "International Arbitration: Facilitating Trade and Investment between China and Vietnam," further strengthening ties between the two nations.

A key focus of the discussions between VIAC and SCIA was the exchange of technological expertise, particularly in the integration of technology into arbitration, which is seen as a critical area for future development. SCIA has made significant progress in this field, with its advanced systems like e-Court, e-Judge, and e-Arbitration setting a high standard for online dispute resolution. Meanwhile, VIAC has started to integrate technology into its processes, recently launching the VIAC Online Case Management Platform, known as VIAC eCase. Given this, VIAC expressed strong interest in collaborating with SCIA to further enhance its technological capabilities and provide smoother, more efficient online dispute resolution services.

In addition to technological collaboration, both institutions discussed organising joint events such as seminars, conferences, and training programs that focus on the legal and practical challenges facing enterprises in both countries. These events will provide comprehensive knowledge of the Vietnamese and Chinese legal frameworks, especially in trade, investment, and contract law, while sharing practical insights from actual disputes resolved through arbitration. Furthermore, the meeting also explored the possibility of formalising the partnership through a cooperation agreement which would serve as a crucial bridge between the two institutions, enabling them to exchange information, share insights and jointly organize events and publications in the fields of commercial arbitration, mediation and others.

The meeting between VIAC and SCIA marks a step towards fostering greater cooperation between two leading arbitration institutions in respective their region or nation. By exploring potential collaborations in areas such as joint educational initiatives, technological exchange, and formalized cooperation agreements, both VIAC and SCIA aim to contribute to the development of efficient and effective dispute resolution mechanisms for cross-border commercial activities. These cooperated activities will not only benefit businesses in Vietnam and China but will also contribute to strengthen trade relations between the two countries.