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Author	Ms Sun Yalan
Organisation/Institution	Wuhan University
Country	CHINA
Panel	International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution
Title	The “Asian Narrative” of International Commercial Mediation: Constructing the Chinese Model from a Comparative Law Perspective
Abstract	International commercial mediation, as a key method for resolving cross-border commercial disputes, has gained widespread global attention in recent years. With the advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative and the establishment of various free trade zones (ports), the theoretical and practical research on commercial mediation in China has deepened. This paper will adopt a comparative law perspective to systematically review the historical evolution and institutional characteristics of international commercial mediation mechanisms in different legal systems, taking into account their socio-economic structures, political and cultural traditions, and differences in mediation concepts. It will focus on the construction of an international commercial mediation system under the “Asian narrative” , revealing its cultural core of “harmony as the most valuable” and “emphasis on relationships”, as well as its flexible and pragmatic approach to dispute resolution. Furthermore, the research will delve into the construction path of the Chinese approach, including mechanisms for aligning with the Singapore Convention on Mediation, the practical innovation of the “mediation+” multi-dispute resolution model, and the localization of mediation rules in line with international standards. The paper will also analyze its paradigm significance in the global governance landscape. In this context, the gradual unification of international commercial mediation rules and the diversification of regional practices have promoted the coordination and interaction of global commercial mediation systems. Additionally, the study will explore the demonstration effect of the Chinese model on other developing countries in Asia and analyze its value for experience-sharing. The paper aims to provide theoretical insights for the construction of a more inclusive and efficient international commercial mediation system and contribute China’s experience to the “Asian narrative” under the global commercial mediation framework.
Biography	I am Sun Yalan, a third-year PhD student at the Institute of International Law, Wuhan University, with a focused research interest in international commercial dispute resolution and international investment dispute settlement. My past research has centered on investment dispute settlement mechanisms under regional trade agreements and international commercial dispute resolution systems in China's free trade zones (ports). I have independently completed several relevant research outputs, including papers such as “The Path to Improving the RCEP Investment Dispute Settlement Mechanism from a Comparative Law Perspective” and “Modernization Pathways for Constructing a Diversified International Commercial Dispute Resolution Mechanism in Hainan Free Trade Port”. I have also presented my work at some international conferences, such as the 2023 and 2024 Annual Conferences of the China Society of International Economic Law. In addition, I have some experience in international moot court competitions. Academically, I have served as an external reviewer for Luojia Law Review, an in-house journal of Wuhan University Law School, and as a member of the Academic Advisory Board of the Wuhan University Model United Nations Association. My doctoral thesis focuses on the internationalization and localization of international commercial mediation rules from a comparative law perspective. The paper I intend to submit for this conference builds on this existing research foundation, with a specific deepening and extension centered on the “Asian Narrative” perspective. I am eager to participate in the conference to exchange insights with fellow scholars in the field.