From April 20 to 21, 2026, the Second Alternative Dispute Resolution Policy Dialogue – Institutionalizing Mediation and Strengthening ISDS Management Systems was successfully held in Tokyo, Japan. Co-hosted by the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the event received support from bodies including the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Following its fruitful debut participation in 2025, the Shanghai Commercial Mediation Center (SCMC) was invited once again this year. It dispatched Mr. Peter Corne, a foreign mediator and recipient of the Shanghai Magnolia Silver Award, to speak at the conference. 

The event gathered government officials, legal experts, academic representatives, and delegates from major global dispute resolution institutions across more than 20 ADB member countries, who conducted in-depth discussions on eight topics including the institutionalization pathways of investment dispute mediation. In the thematic session on Practical Measures to Promote the Use of Mediation, as the sole speaker from a Chinese commercial mediation institution, Mr. Peter Corne shared with participants the latest progress of domestic commercial mediation development, as well as SCMC’s distinctive positioning and innovative practical experience. 

(Mr. Peter Corne is pictured third from the left delivering his speech.)

Mr. Corne noted that conceptually, as China’s first independently operated commercial mediation institution, SCMC has promoted mediation as a standalone dispute resolution method since its establishment in 2011. By integrating and coordinating with arbitration, litigation and other mechanisms, it has built a well-functioning diversified dispute resolution ecosystem. This philosophy aligns with the spirit advocated by the Singapore Convention on Mediation and is institutionally backed by the Commercial Mediation Regulations, officially implemented in China in 2026.

In practice, rooted in the Chinese market and oriented toward international demands, SCMC has adopted multiple measures to advance mediation: first, deepening litigation-mediation linkage with courts at four levels nationwide to streamline judicial confirmation of mediation agreements; second, innovating service provision by expanding auxiliary services such as ad hoc arbitration and neutral evaluation on the basis of commercial mediation; third, enhancing capacity building and international exchanges to proactively engage with the global dispute resolution system. Years of practice have proven that the accessibility and effectiveness of commercial mediation have improved markedly, offering a replicable model for the standardized development of China’s commercial mediation sector.

Founded in Tokyo in 1997, the Asian Development Bank Institute is the core think tank of the ADB. It has long focused on regional policy research, capacity building and experience sharing to advance sustainable economic growth and social development across the Asia‑Pacific region. SCMC’s second invitation to the conference reflects international recognition of the rapid progress of China’s commercial mediation industry in recent years. Moving forward, SCMC will further deepen international exchanges and cooperation, actively integrate into the global dispute resolution governance system, and contribute to amplifying China’s voice in rule‑of‑law practices and facilitating amicable and efficient settlement of cross‑border disputes.

(Conference on-site photos)

(Group photo of conference participants)