Arbitrating in Asia Musical Chairs - Choosing the Right Seat in Times of Change. Nils Eliasson, Mannheimer Swartling, Hong Kong

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1 Arbitrating in Asia Musical Chairs - Chsing the Right Seat in Times f Change Nils Eliassn, Mannheimer Swartling, Hng Kng

2 Arbitrating in Asia? The Asian jurisdictins are diverse (different legal cultures, different degree f develpment, cultural differences etc.) Apprach the tpic practically: which Asian cuntries will mst likely be represented n the ther side when yu are advising clients r crprate clleagues n arbitratin clauses: China India Japan Krea Indnesia Malaysia Thailand Vietnam Rule f Thumb: Hng Kng r Singapre is the safe chice

3 Hng Kng Mst established seat f arbitratin fr internatinal arbitratin in Asia Reliability: One cuntry tw systems, cmmn law, rule f law, transparency, freedm frm crruptin Strng legal prfessin (arbitratrs and ther arbitratin prfessinals) Strng institutins Curts Wrld class arbitratin institutins: HKIAC and ICC Statutry framewrk: New Arbitratin Ordinance as f 1 June 2011 (based n the UNCITRAL Mdel Law) Enfrcement f Hng Kng awards in Mainland China under a special enfrcement regime (wrks in practice) New Yrk Cnventin

4 Hng Kng Unparalleled experience f arbitratin invlving parties frm Mainland China Mainland China Parties: Certain Restrictins n Arbitratin utside Mainland China Taiwanese Parties: Taiwan is nt a member f the New Yrk Cnventin but Taiwan enfrces Hng Kng awards Als frequently chsen by Krean, Japanese and Vietnamese parties Superb infrastructure and facilities fr arbitratin hearing (HKIAC mre than duble its space fr hearings this year)

Wrld Class Institutins: HKIAC and ICC HKIAC Mdern and efficient rules Light tuch case management N terms f reference, n scrutiny f the award 291 arbitratins in 2011 (175 internatinal) ICC Case

5 Wrld Class Institutins: HKIAC and ICC HKIAC Mdern and efficient rules Light tuch case management N terms f reference, n scrutiny f the award 291 arbitratins in 2011 (175 internatinal) ICC Case management fr whle f Asia in Hng Kng Chinese parties tend t chse the HKIAC mre frequently but nt impssible t cnvince them t accept ICC Krean, Japanese and larger Taiwanese cmpanies are mre frequent users ICC is used mre frequently in Singapre than in Hng Kng likely because SIAC is a yunger institutin than the HKIAC

Singapre Singapre is becming an arbitratin hub fr Suth- East Asia and an alternative t Hng Kng Mdern Arbitratin act based n the UNCITRAL Mdel Law, but with traces f the English

6 Singapre Singapre is becming an arbitratin hub fr Suth- East Asia and an alternative t Hng Kng Mdern Arbitratin act based n the UNCITRAL Mdel Law, but with traces f the English Arbitratin Act Gvernment is supprtive f arbitratin (sees it as a gd business fr Singapre) Gd curts and an emerging bdy f arbitratin case law Maxwell Chambers SIAC, ICC and the ICDR

7 Singapre Strng track-recrd when it cmes t disputes invlving Indian parties (enfrcement, gegraphical prximity, Indian cmmunity in Singapre) Indian peculiarity is that Indian curts nly enfrce awards frm New Yrk Cnventin Cuntries that have been included in India s Official Gazette (less than 50 cuntries included) China will be added which will benefit arbitratin in Hng Kng invlving Indian parties Singapre is generally a gd ptin als fr parties frm Indnesia and Malaysia

8 A clser lk at Mainland China Seat f arbitratin may nly be utside f Mainland China if there is a freign element t the cntract: One r bth parties freign entities? The disputed bject lcated utside f China? The legal fact establishing, altering r terminating the legal relatinship ccurs utside China? Prblem with recgnitin/enfrcement f the award may arise if the dispute is arbitrated utside f China and if n freign elements are deemed t be at hand. Rule f thumb: If bth parties are Chinese entities, the seat f the arbitratin shuld be in China and nly a Chinese arbitratin cmmissin shuld be appinted. Nte: Whlly wned Chinese subsidiary f a freign cmpany is cnsidered t be a Chinese entity

Arbitratin in China Must chse a Chinese Arbitratin Cmmissin CIETAC Chinese arbitratin law des nt supprt the chice f a freign arbitratin institutin (ICC r HKIAC) with the seat f arbitratin in China

9 Arbitratin in China Must chse a Chinese Arbitratin Cmmissin CIETAC Chinese arbitratin law des nt supprt the chice f a freign arbitratin institutin (ICC r HKIAC) with the seat f arbitratin in China Where the seat f arbitratin may be utside Mainland China, there is n prblem t agree n arbitratin in Hng Kng and hearings t be held in China Pay particular attentin t the arbitratin clause if yu must arbitrate n the Mainland

10 THANK YOU! Nils Eliassn Mannheimer Swartling Hng Kng

MARÍA BELÉN SALDAÑA SOLARI

MARÍA BELÉN SALDAÑA SOLARI I. Lawyer specialized in Internatinal Law and Dispute Reslutin Admitted at the Lima Bar Assciatin LL.M Internatinal Law Ph.D. Candidate Eurpean Unin Law and Natinal Legal Systems