Shanghai High People's Court and the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Justice jointly released a policy to deepen cooperation between government bodies and courts, optimize the connection between litigation and arbitration, promote the high-quality development of arbitration during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), and support Shanghai's development into an Asia-Pacific arbitration center.

The policy requires local courts and justice departments to collaborate, balancing legal supervision with support, regulation with promotion, and tradition with innovation.

It aims to create a supportive judicial environment for innovation in arbitration rules and systems, the aggregation of arbitration resources, the standardization of arbitration activities, and the enhancement of arbitration credibility.

The policy includes seven key tasks:

1. Implement tasks of the business environment improvement action plan

In line with Shanghai's business environment improvement action plan, authorities will regularly assess the alignment of local arbitration rules with international standards, digital and smart capabilities, time and cost efficiency, case handling quality, convenience and transparency, and judicial review support.

2. Enhance arbitration internationalization

Shanghai will promote both the global outreach of local arbitration and the introduction of international arbitration services. The city will support well-known foreign arbitration institutions in establishing offices to handle cross-border arbitration cases, while encouraging local institutions to establish overseas branches.

Courts will handle cross-border arbitration judicial review cases according to law and provide judicial support for interim measures and award enforcement.

3. Advance collaborative innovation in arbitration rules

Authorities will jointly promote innovation in arbitration service opening-up, ad hoc arbitration, international investment arbitration, and arbitration services in areas including finance, securities and futures, maritime, aviation, intellectual property, and data assets. Corresponding judicial supervision and safeguard mechanisms will be improved.

4. Strengthen digital empowerment for arbitration development

Focusing on big data, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies, authorities will build online connections between courts and arbitration institutions to improve digital and smart capabilities in judicial review and arbitration work.

The Shanghai Court's One-Stop International Commercial Dispute Resolution Platform will be further developed. Local arbitration institutions will be encouraged to increase investment in legal technology applications and research to achieve full online case handling.

5. Boost "Five Centers" construction through international commercial arbitration center development

Authorities will coordinate tasks to support Shanghai's efforts to build "five centers" — international economic, financial, trade, shipping, and science and technology innovation centers — as well as the initiative to build an Asia-Pacific arbitration center.

The Shanghai High People's Court will guide relevant specialized courts and tribunals in strengthening international commercial, maritime, and financial adjudication functions. The Bureau of Justice will coordinate with industry authorities to cultivate professional arbitration legal service teams and increase legal service supply for the five centers.

6. Promote Yangtze River Delta arbitration integration

Authorities will facilitate the establishment of regular communication and coordination mechanisms among courts, judicial administrative departments, arbitration associations, and arbitration institutions across the Yangtze River Delta region.

This will support cross-regional arbitration activities and assist with asset preservation, evidence collection, and award enforcement in arbitration proceedings.

7. Build arbitration culture and ecosystem

Leveraging signature Shanghai arbitration events, including the Shanghai International Arbitration Forum and Shanghai Arbitration Week, authorities will work with the maritime legal community to co-host or support arbitration-themed events with domestic and international influence.

Note: The English version is for reference only; the official Chinese document shall prevail.

Source: Shanghai High People's Court