International Chamber of Commerce

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China overhauls arbitration law for the first time in three decades

As of May 2026: Has maintained a Shanghai Free Trade Zone representative office since 2016; now eligible to administer cases under new law

China's arbitration law has operated essentially unchanged since 1995, when the country's commercial arbitration system was still government-controlled. On March 1, 2026, a revised version took effect, introducing a codified 'seat of arbitration,' permission for foreign bodies like the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to operate in free trade zones, and online proceedings.

Updated May 30