From June 27 to 29, 2013, Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group (APRAG) Conference 2013, hosted by China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), was ceremoniously held in Beijing. Mr. Qiang Zhou, President of the Supreme People’s Court and Chief Justice of China, delivered keynote speech. Mr. Jifei Wan, Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), made welcome speech on behalf of the host; Mr. Sundra Rajoo, past President of APRAG and Director of Kuala Lumpur Regional Center for Arbitration, made welcome speech on behalf of APRAG; Mr. Renaud Sorieul, Secretary-General of United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, and Mr. Rimsky Yuen, SC, JP Secretary for justice, Department of Justice, Hong Kong SAR  attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Nearly 400 attendees from 26 countries and regions, including Mr. Shengming Wang, Deputy Director of National People’s Congress Law Committee, Mr. Songgen Dong, Vice Chairman of CCPIT and CCOIC, Mr. Yong Xia, Deputy Director of the State Council Legislative Affairs Office, Mr. Zhongliang Lin, Secretary-General of China Law Society, Mr. Junfeng Wang, President of All China Lawyers Association, Mr. Yunhua Lu, Inspector of the State Council Legislative Affairs Office of Coordination Division, Mr. Dongming Jia, Director of the Civil Office of the National People’s Congress Law Committee, Mr. Junsheng Chen, Director of the Legislative Affairs Department of Ministry of Justice, and other heads of arbitration institutions, arbitrators, industry representatives participated in the Conference. All China Lawyers Association, China Banking Association, China Construction Industry Association and Beijing Lawyers Association were supporters of the Conference.

Jingtian & Gongcheng, as one of the leading law firms in the arbitration area, is the only diamond sponsor of the Conference. Mr. Chungang Dong,  dispute resolution partner of Jingtian & Gongcheng, delivered a speech titled “Co-Prosperity of Lawyers and Arbitration” in the Conference.

APRAG, initiated and established by 17 Asia-Pacific region arbitration institutions including CIETAC in 2004, is the only international arbitration organization in the Asia-Pacific region and has great influence in international arbitration community. At present, it has 40 members. On the General Meeting of APRAG held on June 27, CIETAC was successfully elected as APRAG’s next chairman organization, and Mr. Jianlong Yu, secretary-general of CIETAC, was elected as APRAG’s new Chairman.