VIAC had a working meeting with the Delegation from the Department of Justice of Guangzhou Province, China

On June 16^th & 17^th, 2025, at its office in Hanoi, the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) welcomed and held working sessions with a delegation from the Department of Justice of Guangzhou Province, China. The meeting focused on professional exchanges and discussions on international cooperation opportunities to promote the development of arbitration and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) between Vietnam and China, as well as within the region.

Representing VIAC at the meeting were Prof. Dr. Le Hong Hanh – President of VIAC, Mr. Vu Anh Duong – Permanent Vice President and Secretary General of VIAC, along with heads of specialized departments. Leading the Guangzhou Delegation was Mr. He Youhan – Second-level Inspector of the Department of Justice of Guangzhou, along with Mr. Li Minshen – Deputy Director of the Guangzhou Arbitration Commission, Mr. Deng Chuanyuan – President of the Guangzhou Bar Association, and representatives of several businesses and law firms from Guangzhou, China.

Overview of the meeting

In his opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Le Hong Hanh – President of VIAC warmly welcomed the delegation from the Department of Justice of Guangzhou. He highlighted the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and China, particularly following the Joint Statement on Further Strengthening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and Establishing a Vietnam - China community with a shared future. Prof. Hanh emphasized that cooperation in economy and investment would continue to develop substantively, becoming a highlight in the bilateral relationship. Within this context, legal cooperation and the promotion of effective dispute resolution mechanisms have received increasing attention, contributing to a transparent and fair business environment for bilateral trade.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Mr. He Youhan, Second-level Inspector of the Department of Justice of Guangzhou stated: “We commend the quality of dispute resolution services provided by VIAC and VMC, and we trust in the reputation, capability, and dynamism of VIAC in meeting the increasingly diverse needs of the international business community.” He hoped the visit would lay the groundwork for future legal cooperation, particularly in experience sharing in building effective dispute resolution frameworks, fostering professional exchanges among arbitration institutions, and supporting enterprises in accessing high-quality legal and ADR services.

Discussions between the representatives of VIAC and the Delegation in the meeting

At the meeting, Mr. Vu Anh Duong – Vice President cum Secretary General of VIAC – added: “We are delighted to welcome the Delegation from Guangzhou and hope that today's exchange will serve as a foundation for further cooperation in the future.” He also shared insights on the presence of Chinese parties in arbitration cases at VIAC. Over the years, parties from China have consistently ranked among the top in terms of nationalities involved in VIAC’s cases, covering a wide range of disputes, including those related to import-export, construction, joint ventures, among others.

VIAC regularly hosts delegations from China to exchange views on the development of arbitration and commercial mediation in Vietnam, while also proposing stronger legal cooperation to support cross-border business operations. In 2024, VIAC received delegations from the Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA) in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. For the business community, VIAC and the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) co-hosted an international seminar on “International Arbitration: Facilitating China and Vietnam Trade and Investment”, creating a forum for discussion on the bilateral trade-investment landscape and assessed the impact of ADR methods.

Following the agenda, Mr. Phan Trong Dat – Acting Director of the Vietnam Mediation Center (VMC) under VIAC, and Ms. Vu Thi Hang – Deputy Head of VIAC's Secretariat gave an overview of the development of Vietnam’s legal framework on arbitration and mediation, as well as dispute resolution practices at VIAC and VMC. Representatives from Guangzhou-based enterprises and law firms expressed keen interest in specific types of disputes commonly associated with investment fields prioritized by Chinese companies entering or expanding in the Vietnamese market.

The meeting continued with experience exchanges in developing and upgrading dispute resolution services, especially the application of technology – a major direction for the future growth of ADR in alignment with global trends. The delegation also expressed interest in Vietnam’s legal training and human resource development mechanisms, including for lawyers and arbitration experts.

The meeting concluded with the establishment of mutual goals and shared expectations for implementing cooperative activities, aiming to promote effective dispute resolution mechanisms for both domestic and cross-border disputes. Both sides expressed the desire to accompany the business communities of the two countries in their trade and investment efforts, while also contributing to enhancing bilateral commercial cooperation between Vietnam and China.