On the morning of Nov. 28^th, Chinese Law Program LL.M. students and some exchange students visited China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) under the guidance of Ms. Zhao Xue. They were warmly welcomed there and had a close discussion with the staff.

At the beginning, the staff of CIETAC gave the students a general introduction of the institution, referring to the history, the change of the names and the case load. It was said that CIETAC was founded in the year of 1956 and it had established 3 branches in China, covering both mainland and Hong Kong.

Then they gave further information on Arbitration. It was said that the arbitration should abide by relevant rules and regulations, and the most recent ones were amended in 2012. The average case load is 1,300 per year, but the number of cases they have dealt with this year is more than 1,300 up till now. The reason of this increase is that they have been concentrating on improving their service and providing more choice possibilities to their clients. Besides, the staff still gave a general introduction of the procedure of arbitration, including application, insurance of notice of arbitration, formation of the tribunal and hearing. Some students asked questions accordingly and had a thorough discussion with the staff. At last, the staff showed the students around the Hearing Room and Library of CIETAC.

This visit provides an excellent opportunity for foreign students to learn about the concrete function of Chinese arbitration. It is a bridge combing the theory in the campus and the practice outside Law School.