Arbitration-Law-of-the-Peoples-Republic-of-China

ArbitrationLawofthePeople'sRepublicofChinaAdoptedatthe8thSessionoftheStandingCommitteeofthe8thNationalPeople'sCongressandromulgatedonAugust31,1994ChapterIGeneralProvisionsArticle1ThisLawisformulatedinordertoensurethateconomicdisputesshallbeimpartiallyandpromptlyarbitrated,toprotectthelegitimaterightsandinterestsoftherelevantpartiesandtoguaranteethehealthydevelopmentofthesocialistmarketeconomy.Article2Disputesovercontractsanddisputesoverpropertyrightsandinterestsbetweencitizens,legalpersonsandotherorganizationsasequalsubjectsoflawmaybesubmittedtoarbitration.Article3Thefollowingdisputesshallnotbesubmittedtoarbitration:1.disputesovermarriage,adoption,guardianship,childmaintenanceandinheritance;and2.administrativedisputesfallingwithinthejurisdictionoftherelevantadministrativeorgansaccordingtolaw.Article4Thepartiesadoptingarbitrationfordisputesettlementshallreachanarbitrationagreementonamutuallyvoluntarybasis.Anarbitrationcommissionshallnotacceptanapplicationforarbitrationsubmittedbyoneofthepartiesintheabsenceofanarbitrationagreement.Article5Apeople'scourtshallnotacceptanactioninitiatedbyoneofthepartiesifthepartieshaveconcludedanarbitrationagreement,unlessthearbitrationagreementisinvalid.Article6Anarbitrationcommissionshallbeselectedbythepartiesbyagreement.Thejurisdictionbylevelsystemandthedistrictjurisdictionsystemshallnotapplyinarbitration.Article7Disputesshallbefairlyandreasonablysettledbyarbitrationonthebasisoffactsandinaccordancewiththerelevantprovisionsoflaw.Article8Arbitrationshallbeconductedinaccordancewiththelaw,independentofanyinterventionbyadministrativeorgans,socialorganizationsorindividuals.Article9Thesinglerulingsystemshallbeappliedinarbitration.Thearbitrationcommissionshallnotacceptanyapplicationforarbitration,norshallapeople'scourtacceptanyactionsubmittedbythepartyinrespectofthesamedisputeafteranarbitrationawardhasalreadybeengiveninrelationtothatmatter.Ifthearbitrationawardiscanceledoritsenforcementhasbeendisallowedbyapeople'scourtinaccordancewiththelaw,thepartiesmay,inaccordancewithanewarbitrationagreementbetweentheminrespectofthedispute,re-applyforarbitrationorinitiatelegalproceedingswiththepeople'scourt.ChapterIIArbitrationCommissionsandArbitrationAssociationArticle10ArbitrationcommissionsmaybeestablishedinthemunicipalitiesdirectlyundertheCentralGovernment,inthemunicipalitieswherethepeople'sgovernmentsofprovincesandautonomousregionsarelocatedor,ifnecessary,inothercitiesdividedintodistricts.Arbitrationcommissionsshallnotbeestablishedateachleveloftheadministrativedivisions.Thepeople'sgovernmentsofthemunicipalitiesandcitiesspecifiedintheaboveparagraphshallorganizetherelevantdepartmentsandtheChamberofCommercefortheformationofanarbitrationcommission.Theestablishmentofanarbitrationcommissionshallberegisteredwiththejudicialadministrativedepartmentoftherelevantprovince,autonomousregionormunicipalitiesdirectlyundertheCentralGovernment.Article11Anarbitrationcommissionshallfulfilthefollowingconditions:1.itmusthaveitsownname,domicileandArticlesofAssociation;2.itmustpossessthenecessaryproperty;3.itmusthaveitsownmembers;and4.itmusthavearbitratorsforappointment.ThearticlesofassociationoftheanarbitrationcommissionshallbeformulatedinaccordancewiththisLaw.Article12Anarbitrationcommissionshallcompriseachairman,twotofourvice-chairmenandseventoelevenmembers.Thechairman,vice-chairmenandmembersofanarbitrationcommissionmustbepersonsspecializedinlaw,economicandtradeandpersonswhohaveactualworkingexperience.Thenumberofspecialistsinlaw,economicandtradeshallnotbelessthantwo-thirdsofthemembersofanarbitrationassociation.Article13Thearbitrationcommissionshallappointfairandhonestpersonasitsarbitrators.Arbitratorsmustfulfiloneofthefollowingconditions:1.theyhavebeenengagedinarbitrationworkforatleasteightyears;2.theyhaveworkedasalawyerforatleasteightyears;3.theyhavebeenajudgeforatleasteightyears;4.theyareengagedinlegalresearchorlegalteachingandinseniorpositions;and5.theyhavelegalknowledgeandareengagedinprofessionalworkrelatingtoeconomicsandtrade,andinseniorpositionsoroftheequivalentprofessionallevel.Thearbitrationcommissionshallestablishalistofarbitratorsaccordingtodifferentprofessionals.Article14Arbitrationcommissionsareindependentofadministrativeorgansandtherearenosubordinaterelationswithanyadministrativeorgansnorbetweenthedifferentarbitrationcommissions.Article15TheChinaArbitrationAssociationisasocialorganizationwiththestatusofalegalperson.ArbitrationcommissionsaremembersoftheChinaArbitrationAssociation.TheArticlesofAssociationoftheChinaArbitrationAssociationshallbeformulatedbythenationalgeneralmeetingofthemembers.TheChinaArbitrationAssociationisanorganizationinchargeofself-regulationofthearbitrationcommissions.Itshallconductsupervisionovertheconduct(anybreachofdiscipline)ofthearbitrationcommissionsandtheirmembersandarbitratorsinaccordancewithitsarticlesofassociation.TheChinaArbitrationAssociationshallformulateArbitrationRulesinaccordancewiththisLawandtheCivilProcedureLaw.ChapterIIIArbitrationAgreementArticle16Anarbitrationag