During the China-Central Asia Arbitration Forum held in November 1, 2023, the Central Asia Trial Center of China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (“CIETAC”) was officially unveiled and established. Chen Jianan, Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (“CCPIT”), Chen Mingguo, Vice Governor of the People’s Government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Director of Public Security Department, Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of CIETAC, Mo Weigang, Chairman of the CCPIT Xinjiang Committee, Zhou Zhihao, Vice President of the High People’s Court of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Rana Sajjad, President of the Center for International Investment and Commercial Arbitration, Diana Bayzakova, Director of the Tashkent International Arbitration Centre, and Enkhtsetseg Sukhbaatar, President of the Mongolian International Arbitration Center unveiled the Central Asia Trial Center together.

Central Asia is where the Belt and Road Initiative was firstly initiated. Over recent years, China and Central Asian countries have continuously bolstered their strategic partnership and maintained steady and rapid growth in economic and trade cooperation. Consequently, the demand for legal services has surged. Xinjiang, serving as a gateway to the west, possesses unique advantages in promoting China-Central Asia economic and trade cooperation and high-quality development of Belt and Road. To support this endeavor, CIETAC establishes the Central Asia Trial Center in Urumchi, Xinjiang, aiming to facilitate parties from Central Asia and neighboring counties involved in the Belt and Road cooperation, harness the vital role of arbitration in safeguarding the economic and trade cooperation and development of Belt and Road, continuously promote China-Central Asia commercial legal cooperation, and foster a closer China-Central Asia legal cooperation community.

In recent years, there has been a consistent increase in the number of foreign-related cases accepted by CIETAC, highlight-ing the need for providing convenient arbitration services for parties around the world. Notably, the number of cases and the amount in dispute involving Central-Asian countries accepted by CIETAC has been on the rise recently, and the establishment of the Central Asia Trial Center is poised to effectively resolve commercial disputes involving relevant counties and promote the high-quality development of Belt and Road. In addition, CIETAC, being the earliest foreign-related arbitration institution established in China, boasts over six decades of practical experience in managing foreign-related commercial arbitration cases. With its rich history, CIETAC can fully leverage its strength to offer impartial, efficient, internationally-oriented, and professional arbitration services to parties from Central Asian countries.

The establishment of the Central Asia Trial Center aims to offer accessible trial services for parties from Central Asia and neighboring countries. Additionally, it will build on established cooperation platforms including “The Cooperation Mechanism of the Beijing Joint Declaration of the Belt and Road Arbitration Institutions” and “The Cooperation Mechanism on Foreign Law Ascertainment of the Belt and Road Arbitration Institutions” involving various arbitration institutions from Central Asian countries, to actively promote China-Central Asia exchanges and cooperation in dispute resolution, continue to enhance the in-depth understanding and utilization of arbitration and other means of dispute resolution by the parties from Central Asian and neighboring countries involved in the Belt and Road cooperation, and create a friendly business environment and provide better support for the healthy and orderly development of China-Central Asia economic and trade cooperation.

在2023年11月1日举办的中国-中亚仲裁论坛上，中国国际经济贸易仲裁委员会中亚庭审中心正式揭牌成立。中国国际贸易促进委员会副会长陈建安，新疆维吾尔自治区人民政府副主席、公安厅厅长陈明国，贸仲副主任兼秘书长王承杰，新疆贸促会会长莫伟钢，新疆高院党组副书记、副院长周志豪，巴基斯坦国际投资及商事仲裁中心主席Rana Sajjad,乌兹别克斯坦塔什干国际仲裁中心主任Diana Bayzakova，蒙古国际仲裁中心主席Enkhtsetseg Sukhbaatar共同为庭审中心揭牌。

中亚是“一带一路”倡议的首倡之地。近年来，中国与中亚国家持续提升战略伙伴关系水平，经贸合作保持稳步快速增长。在此背景下，法律服务需求也相应增加。同时，新疆作为我国向西开放的桥头堡，在促进中国-中亚经贸合作与“一带一路”高质量发展方面具有独特优势。有鉴于此，贸仲在新疆乌鲁木齐市设立贸仲中亚庭审中心，以期进一步为中亚及周边共建“一带一路”国家当事人提供便利、发挥仲裁在护航“一带一路”经贸合作与发展中的重要作用，不断提升中国-中亚商事法律合作水平，助力打造更为紧密的中国-中亚法律合作共同体。

近年来，贸仲受理的涉外案件数量不断增长，说明面向全球当事人提供便利化的仲裁服务已经势在必行。尤其是近年来，贸仲受理的涉及中亚国家的案件数量与争议金额不断增长，设立贸仲中亚庭审中心将有效化解涉相关国家的商事纠纷，促进“一带一路”高质量发展。此外，贸仲作为中国最早设立的涉外仲裁机构，有60多年处理涉外商事仲裁的实践经验，能够发挥自身优势，为中亚各国当事人提供公正高效、国际化、专业化的仲裁服务。

庭审中心设立后，将为中亚及周边国家当事人提供便利化的庭审服务，同时也将借助已建立的、有多家中亚国家仲裁机构参与的《“一带一路”仲裁机构北京联合宣言合作机制》及《“一带一路”仲裁机构法律查明合作机制》等合作平台，积极推进中国-中亚在争议解决领域的交流与合作，持续促进中亚及周边共建“一带一路”国家当事人对仲裁等争议解决方式的深入认识和广泛运用，为区域内营造良好的营商环境以及中国-中亚经贸合作健康有序发展提供更好的助力。