Tianjin arbitration boosts law-based commercial dispute resolution

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–25), the Tianjin Arbitration Commission (TAC) aligned its efforts with Tianjin's economic and social development and advanced in step with the country's arbitration industry. By prioritizing professionalism, standardization, and internationalization in arbitration services, the commission has significantly enhanced its credibility and influence.

Professional clusters and streamlined rules

The TAC has proactively integrated arbitration work into Tianjin's broader agenda of economic and social development, supporting the municipality's implementation of major national strategies — including the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the development of pilot free trade zones, and the Belt and Road Initiative.

Rooted in Tianjin's unique context, the commission has innovated service models, expanded scope of its services, promoted the deep integration of legal services with economic sectors such as finance and intellectual property (IP), and built specialized service platforms.

Notably, the TAC has established a "1-4-5" professional service cluster, which includes the commercial arbitration hub at the TAC Cultural Center, four specialized centers — spanning free trade, IP, finance, and the digital economy — and five mobile professional tribunals.

Meanwhile, it has built a "1+N" arbitration rule system, formulating industry-specific rules for sectors such as finance and maritime affairs to provide professional support for arbitration proceedings.

Institutional optimization process improvements

Over the past five years, the TAC has revised more than 30 working regulations and strengthened internal procedure management, forming a standardized case procedure system that covers scientific tribunal formation, award review, and case timeline regulation. By optimizing case management processes, improving the case quality management system, and strengthening supervision and restraint mechanisms, the TAC has efficiently balanced its oversight and service roles.

Over the past five years, the TAC's average mediation and settlement rate has exceeded 60 percent, and the case resolution rate has remained above 90 percent, with its public credibility and influence growing steadily.

Digital empowerment and industry-university-research collaboration

The TAC has actively promoted the digital transformation of arbitration services by implementing online case filing and remote video hearings. Over the past five years, its online case acceptance has accounted for more than 40 percent of total cases, and online hearings for nearly 30 percent, making arbitration services more convenient and efficient.

In cooperation with universities and other professional institutions, the commission has established research bodies including the Arbitration Research Institute at Tianjin Normal University, to actively explore arbitration theories and practices in emerging fields such as the digital economy and low-altitude economy.

The TAC has also conducted in-depth exchanges with universities, including Tianjin Foreign Studies University, to promote the integration among industry, academia and research, providing theoretical support and intellectual input for the high-quality development of Tianjin's arbitration services.

International exchanges and talent development

The TAC has proactively aligned itself with the forefront of international arbitration development and conducted frequent exchanges with well-known international arbitration and legal service institutions in Singapore and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The TAC has established a specialized roster of foreign arbitrators, with 53 distinguished foreign arbitrators from 18 countries and regions, covering 13 languages.

The commission has steadily advanced the handling of foreign-related arbitration cases, jointly released a white paper on commercial judicial review with the Tianjin Municipal Higher People's Court, and compiled documents such as guidelines for foreign-related arbitration procedures. These efforts provide useful references for commercial entities to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests in the global market.

Accepted foreign-related cases involve countries including the United States, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Ukraine, and Russia, with total dispute amounts reaching record highs annually, continuously expanding the brand influence and reach of Tianjin arbitration.

Mediation-arbitration integration and legal outreach

The TAC has integrated mediation throughout the entire arbitration process, resolving more than 1,000 pre-litigation cases and receiving over 100 phone calls and on-site visits from the public on average per day. The TAC has explored a new dispute resolution model integrating administrative mediation with arbitration, and launched combined initiatives in sectors such as maritime and admiralty affairs and IP, effectively implementing a multi-party dispute resolution mechanism.

Moreover, the commission has actively promoted the arbitration system through various legal publicity activities. It has organized five consecutive editions of the moot arbitration competition, the Tianjin Arbitration Lecture Series, the Tianjin Arbitration Week series, and nearly 100 practical training lectures.

The TAC has also formulated work specifications for enterprise visits and follow-ups, and carried out in-depth "legal outreach and demand survey" visits. Tailored "one enterprise, one solution" plans are developed based on enterprises' differentiated and personalized needs to address pain points in enterprise development and support risk prevention.

Looking ahead, the TAC will play a greater role in serving national strategies, improving the business environment, and safeguarding social fairness and justice, contributing arbitration wisdom and strength to high-quality economic and social development.