Duan & Duan UK LLP hosts the Xiamen Arbitration Commission delegation in London

Duan & Duan UK LLP was pleased to host a delegation from the Xiamen Arbitration Commission (厦门仲裁委员会) in London in September 2026.

"It was a pleasure to have hosted the Xiamen Arbitration Commission delegation in London," said Leon Chua, Partner. "A great opportunity to showcase our unique cross-border dispute resolution and commercial practice between China and the UK. Looking forward to visiting Xiamen in the near future too!"

In short

• Duan & Duan UK LLP hosted a delegation from the Xiamen Arbitration Commission in London in September 2026.
• The visit showcased the firm's cross-border dispute resolution and commercial practice between China and the UK.
• Leon Chua looks forward to a return visit to Xiamen.

Arbitration between China and the UK

Arbitration is a common choice for resolving disputes under contracts between Chinese and UK businesses, and institutions in mainland China, including the Xiamen Arbitration Commission, are often named in those contracts. When a dispute arises, the question that matters to the winning party is usually a practical one: where are the other side's assets, and how can the award be turned into money?

Where those assets are in England, English law offers a well-established route. The United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China are both parties to the New York Convention 1958, implemented in English law by the Arbitration Act 1996, so an arbitral award made in mainland China can be enforced through the English courts. Our practitioner's note on enforcing a mainland Chinese arbitral award in the United Kingdom sets out how that works in practice.

This is work that sits between the two legal systems. As a member of the Duan & Duan international network, with roots in Shanghai, we advise in both Chinese and English on arbitrations involving Chinese parties and on enforcing their outcome in England. It is at the heart of our arbitration and dispute resolution practice.

Looking ahead

Our thanks to the Xiamen Arbitration Commission delegation for their visit. We look forward to continuing the exchange, and to visiting Xiamen in the near future.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Xiamen Arbitration Commission?

The Xiamen Arbitration Commission (厦门仲裁委员会) is an arbitration institution based in Xiamen, Fujian Province, in mainland China. It administers arbitrations under its own arbitration rules, and parties can choose it as their arbitral institution in the dispute resolution clause of a commercial contract.

Can an arbitral award made in mainland China be enforced in England?

Yes, in most cases. The United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China are both parties to the New York Convention 1958 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, which is implemented in English law by sections 100 to 103 of the Arbitration Act 1996. An award made in mainland China can be enforced through the English courts, and the award debtor can resist enforcement only on the limited grounds set out in section 103.

What can the English courts do in support of an arbitration with a Chinese counterparty?

Where the other party or its assets are in England, the English courts can support the arbitration and its outcome: recognising and enforcing the award as if it were a judgment of the court, and, in appropriate cases, granting interim relief such as freezing injunctions to preserve assets while the dispute is resolved.

Why does a UK law firm work with Chinese arbitration institutions?

Many contracts between Chinese and UK businesses provide for arbitration in mainland China, and the winning party often needs to enforce the award against assets in England. A firm that understands both the Chinese arbitral process and English enforcement procedure, and can work in both Chinese and English, can take a matter from the award through to recovery.