The 63rd UIA (International Lawyers Association) Congress opening ceremony took place in Luxembourg on November 6 (local time). More than 1000 lawyers from more than 100 countries and regions will attend the Congress, and more than 30 sessions will be held during the next five days.
The UIA Congress China special session -- "Belt & Road Initiative, Connecting China and the World" was successfully held in European Convention Center Luxemburg on the afternoon of November 8th (local time). More than 50 lawyers from China, the United Kingdom, Italy, the United States, Tunisia, Austria, Germany, Greece, Switzerland, Paraguay and other countries and regions held in-depth discussions on "Belt & Road" Service Connection, "Belt & Road" International Commercial Mediation Center, New Developments of Laws Related to Cross-border Investment in China, Impacts of Singapore Convention on Cross-border Dispute Settlement, Relationships between Litigation and Mediation, Arbitration and Mediation etc.
The UIA Congress China special session aroused strong response among the delegates. The scheduled 3-hour session actually took nearly 4 hours, which had to take up coffee break and extend end time. Delegates said that China had taken the lead in "Belt & Road Initiative" and Commercial Mediation practice and indicated that they would like to serve as international mediator of "Belt & Road" International Commercial Mediation Center in China.
Wang Jianming, as director of UIA Tracking & Research Group of ACLA, vice president of Wuxi Lawyers Association and managing partner of Beijing Deheng (Wuxi) Law Offices, acted as chief planner of this China special session.
Lawyer Wang Jianming made summary statements at the end of the China special session.
Lawyer Wang Jianming attended the 61st UIA Congress in Toronto, Canada, in 2017, and the 62nd UIA conference in Bordeaux, Portugal, in 2018. At the 61st UIA Congress in Toronto, Lawyer Wang Jianming delivered a keynote speech on behalf of ACLA at UIA Congress International Bars Leaders’ Senate, which was the first time that a Chinese lawyer had made a formal speech at the UIA Congress, issuing "Chinese voice". His three-year term of office is about to expire. The successful holding of this China special session marks the end of his term of office.
This session is the first time for Chinese lawyers to hold a China special session at UIA Congress, which gave a strong "Chinese voice". It not only strengthened the exchanges between Chinese lawyers and lawyers from all over the world, but also had a milestone significance for Chinese lawyers to "go global".