Article 1: Arbitration Institution and Duties

(1) The Dongguan Arbitration Commission (the “DGAC”) is an arbitral institution, registered in Dongguan, Guangdong, China, to resolve contractual disputes and other disputes over property rights and interests between natural persons, legal persons, and unincorporated organizations.

(2) The Chairperson of the DGAC (the “Chairperson”) or, with the authorization of the Chairperson, one of the Vice-Chairperson or the Secretary-General of the DGAC, shall perform the functions and duties vested in the Chairperson by the DGAC Arbitration Rules (the “Rules”).

(3) The Secretariat of the DGAC shall handle the day-to-day affairs of the DGAC. For each case, the Secretariat shall designate a member of its staff as the case manager (the “Case Manager”), who shall attend to the procedural administration and the provision of services relating to the case.

Article 2: Scope of Application

(1) The Rules shall apply where the parties have agreed to submit their dispute to the DGAC for arbitration. Where the parties have agreed on certain procedural matters or the application of a different set of arbitration rules, their agreement shall prevail, unless the agreement is unenforceable or in conflict with the mandatory rules of law of the seat of arbitration. Where the parties have agreed on the application of a different set of arbitration rules, the DGAC shall perform the corresponding administrative functions and duties.

(2) Where the parties have agreed to apply the Rules, but have not designated an arbitral institution, they shall be deemed to have agreed to submit their disputes to the DGAC for arbitration. 

(3) In respect of any matters not expressly provided for in the Rules, the DGAC may administer and the Arbitral Tribunal may conduct the arbitration in such manner as it considers appropriate, to ensure the efficient and fair resolution of disputes between the parties.

(4) When applying the Rules, the DGAC, the Arbitral Tribunal, the parties and their representatives shall act in accordance with the principles of good faith, collaboration, and appropriate resolution of the dispute.

A party who knows or ought reasonably to know of a failure to comply with any provision of the Rules or any term of the arbitration agreement, but nevertheless takes part in or continues to take part in the arbitral proceedings without promptly raising its objection to such non-compliance in writing to the DGAC or the Arbitral Tribunal, shall be deemed to have waived its right to object to such non-compliance.

Article 4: Definition and Form of Arbitration Agreements

(1) An arbitration agreement is an agreement by the parties to submit any dispute which has arisen or which may arise from or in connection with an arbitrable legal relationship between the parties to arbitration. An arbitration agreement may take the form of an arbitration clause included in a contract or any other written arbitration agreement.

(2) An arbitration agreement shall be in written form. “Written form” includes, but is not limited to, contractual instruments, letters, and electronic data messages (including telexes, facsimiles, electronic data interchange, and e-mails), and any other form where the contents are retrievable.

(3) Where, during exchange of the Application for Arbitration and the Statement of Defense, one party asserts the existence of an arbitration agreement but the other party does not deny this, a written arbitration agreement between the parties shall be deemed to exist.

Article 5: Separability of Arbitration Agreements

An arbitration agreement shall be independent of the contract in which it is contained. The validity of the arbitration agreement shall be determined separately, and shall not be affected by the fact that the non-existence, modification，cancellation，termination，invalidity, expiry, ineffectiveness, rescission of the contract.

Article 6: Objection to Jurisdiction

(1) If a party objects to the existence or validity of an arbitration agreement or to jurisdiction, it may raise an objection to jurisdiction with the DGAC. Any objection shall be raised in writing before the first hearing. Where the parties have agreed to a documents-only arbitration, any written objection shall be raised within the time limit for the submission of defense.

(2) If a party fails to raise any objection to jurisdiction pursuant to Article 6(1), it shall be deemed to have accepted that the DGAC has jurisdiction.

(3) The raising of any objection to jurisdiction by any party with the DGAC shall not affect the progress of arbitral proceedings.

(4) The DGAC, or the Arbitral Tribunal as authorized by the DGAC, may determine an objection as to jurisdiction. The Arbitral Tribunal may make its decision on jurisdiction either during the arbitral proceedings or in the arbitral award.

(5) Where the DGAC, or the Arbitral Tribunal as authorized by the DGAC, determines that it has no jurisdiction, an order for dismissal of the case shall be made by the Arbitral Tribunal, or if no Arbitral Tribunal has been constituted, by the DGAC. 

Article 7: Application for Arbitration

(1) A party applying for arbitration (the “Claimant”) shall submit:

(a) the arbitration agreement;

(b) its Application for Arbitration (the “Application for Arbitration”) containing the following information:

(i) the names, addresses, postcodes, telephone numbers, facsimile numbers, email addresses and details of any other effective means of communication with the Claimant and the Respondent; where a party concerned is a legal person or unincorporated organization, the name, position, address, postcode, telephone number, facsimile number, email address and details of any other effective means of communication with the legal representative or the person in charge; 

(ii) its claim for relief (the “Claim”)，the facts and grounds on which the Claim is based.

(c) the evidence and/or other supporting documents on which the Application for Arbitration is based; and

(d) proof of the Claimant’s and Respondent’s identities.

(2) The Claimant shall deposit an advance on the arbitration fees in accordance with relevant provisions on arbitration fees of the DGAC. Where the amount in dispute is not specified in the Application for Arbitration, the DGAC shall determine the amount in dispute or the amount of the arbitration fees that shall be deposited in advance.

(3) If a party is unable to deposit the required advance on the arbitration fees within the specified time period due to special circumstances, it may apply to the DGAC for an extension of time, and the DGAC shall determine whether to grant the extension. If a party has neither deposited the required advance nor applied for an extension of time, or has failed to deposit the full amount of the advance on arbitration fees within an extended time limit granted by the DGAC, it shall be deemed not to have submitted its Application for Arbitration.

Article 8: Acceptance

(1) After the Claimant submits a Request for Arbitration and its attachments, and makes advance payment of arbitration fees in accordance with relevant provisions on arbitration fees of the DGAC，the DGAC shall accept the case if it finds the required formalities complete. Otherwise, the DGAC may request the Claimant to complete them within a specified time period. If the formalities remain incomplete upon the expiry of the specified time period, it shall be deemed that no request for arbitration has been made.

(2) The arbitral proceedings shall be deemed to commence on the date of acceptance of the Application for Arbitration by the DGAC.

Article 9: Notice of Acceptance and Notice of Arbitration

Within 10 days of the acceptance of the Application for Arbitration, the DGAC shall send to the Claimant a notice of acceptance (the “Notice of Acceptance”), a copy of the Rules, and a list of the DGAC’s Panel of Arbitrators (the “Panel of Arbitrators”). The DGAC shall send to the Respondent a notice of arbitration (the “Notice of Arbitration”) , as well as a copy of the Application for Arbitration, together with its attachments, a copy of the Rules and a list of the Panel of Arbitrators.

Article 10: Defense

(1) Within 15 days of receiving the Notice of Arbitration, the Respondent shall submit:

(a) its statement of defense (the “Statement of Defense”), containing the following information:

(i) the name, address, postcode, telephone number, facsimile number, email address and details of any other effective means of communication with the Respondent; where a party concerned is a legal person or unincorporated organization, the name, position, address, postcode, telephone number, facsimile number, email address and details of any other effective means of communication with the legal representative or the person in charge;

(ii) its defense to the Claim, and the facts and grounds on which the defense is based;

(b) the evidence and/or other supporting documents on which the defense is based; and 

(c) proof of the Respondent’s identity.

(2) Within 10 days of receiving the Statement of Defense, the DGAC shall send to the Claimant a copy of the Statement of Defense, together with its attachments.

(3) Failure by the Respondent to submit its Statement of Defense shall not affect the progress of the arbitral proceedings.

Article 11: Counterclaim

(1) The Respondent shall file its counterclaim (the “Counterclaim”), if any, by submitting a written application for counterclaim (the “Application for Counterclaim”) within 15 days from the date of receiving the Notice of Arbitration. If the Counterclaim is raised after the expiration of the time limit (a “late Counterclaim”), the decision on whether to accept a late Counterclaim shall be made by the Arbitral Tribunal, or if no Arbitral Tribunal has been constituted, by the DGAC.

(2) When determining whether to accept a late Counterclaim, the DGAC or the Arbitral Tribunal, as the case may be, shall take into account the necessity to hear the late Counterclaim and the Claim at the same time in a single arbitration, the extent of the delay in lodging the Application for Counterclaim, unnecessary delay that will be caused to the arbitral proceedings and any other relevant factors.

(3) The provisions of Articles 7 and 8 of the Rules shall apply mutatis mutandis to the submission and acceptance of the Counterclaim.

(4) Within 10 days of accepting the Counterclaim, the DGAC shall send to the Claimant a request for submission of its defense to the Respondent’s Counterclaim (the “Request for Submission of Defense to Counterclaim”), as well as the Application for Counterclaim together with its attachments.

(5) The provisions of Article 10 shall apply to submission by the Claimant of its statement of defense to the Counterclaim (the “Statement of Defense to Counterclaim”).

(6) Any other matters concerning the Counterclaim which are not expressly provided for in these Rules shall be dealt with by reference to provisions concerning the Application for Arbitration, insofar as they are relevant.

Article 12: Amendments to Claim or Counterclaim

(1) A party may apply to amend its Claim or Counterclaim. The application to amend (the “Application to Amend”) shall be in writing and will be determined by the Arbitral Tribunal or, if no Arbitral Tribunal has been constituted, by the DGAC.

(2) The DGAC or the Arbitral Tribunal has the power to reject such amendments if it considers that the amendments will delay the arbitration proceedings, be unfair to the other party or result in other circumstances that may not be appropriate for such amendments.

(3) The provisions of Article 7 to Articles 10 of the Rules shall apply mutatis mutandis to the submission of, acceptance of and response to an Application to Amend.

(1) Before the Arbitral Tribunal is constituted, the parties may apply to join an additional party to the arbitration under the same arbitration agreement, subject to approval by the DGAC.

(2) A party applying to join an additional party to the arbitration shall submit an application for arbitration against the additional party (the “Application for Joinder”). The provisions of Article 7 to 10 of the Rules shall apply mutatis mutandis in respect of the content of such application, its acceptance and the submission of a defense.

(3) No Application for Joinder will be accepted after the Arbitral Tribunal has been constituted, unless the Claimant, the Respondent and the party to be joined otherwise agree.

Article 14: Claims between Multiple Parties

(1) Where there are two or more Claimants or Respondents in a single arbitration, or any additional party is joined to the arbitration, any party may raise claims against any other party under the same arbitration agreement. The decision on whether to accept such claims shall be made by the Arbitral Tribunal, or if no Arbitral Tribunal has been constituted, by the DGAC. 

(2) The provisions of Article 7 to 10 and Article 12 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the submission of, acceptance of, defense(s) to and amendment of claims raised under this Article. 

Article 15: Submission of Documents and Number of Copies

(1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the parties shall submit to the DGAC documents in the arbitration, which the DGAC shall forward to the Arbitral Tribunal and to the other parties. If the parties agree to submit documents in the arbitration directly to the Arbitral Tribunal, copies of such documents shall be filed with the DGAC. 

(2) The Application for Arbitration, the Statement of Defense, the Application for Counterclaim, evidence and any other written documents shall be submitted in quintuplicate. Where there are more than two parties, additional copies shall be provided accordingly. If the Arbitral Tribunal is comprised of a sole arbitrator, the number of copies shall be reduced by two.

Article 16: Preservation Measures

(1) In the event that enforcement of any award is likely to become difficult or if any other detriment is likely to be caused to one party as a result of the conduct of the other party or of the existence of any other relevant factors, a party may apply for an order to preserve property or assets of the other party or parties, or to require that party or those parties to take or to refrain from taking certain actions. 

(2) A party may apply for an order to preserve evidence if there is a risk that such evidence might be lost or destroyed, or might subsequently become difficult to obtain. 

(3) Where a party submits an application to the DGAC under Article 16(1) or (2), the DGAC shall forward the application to the competent court for determination. 

(4) In urgent circumstances, such as where a party’s lawful rights and interests would be irreparably damaged, or evidence might be lost, destroyed or subsequently become difficult to obtain if no preservation measure is applied for immediately, a party may file an application for preservation measures before submitting its Application for Arbitration.

Article 17: Representation

Where a party engages one or more representatives for the arbitration, it shall submit to the DGAC a power of attorney setting out the matters specifically entrusted to each representative and the scope of each representative’s authority.

Article 18: Panel of Arbitrators

The DGAC shall establish a Panel of Arbitrators. The parties shall choose arbitrators from the Panel of Arbitrators maintained by the DGAC.

Article 19: Composition of the Arbitral Tribunal

(1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties or provided for in the Rules, the Arbitral Tribunal shall comprise 3 arbitrators.

(2) Within 15 days of receiving the Notice of Acceptance or the Notice of Arbitration, each party shall nominate or request the Chairperson to appoint an arbitrator from the Panel of Arbitrators. If a party fails to nominate an arbitrator or fails to request the Chairperson to appoint an arbitrator within the time limit, the arbitrator shall be appointed by the Chairperson. 

(3) Within 15 days of receipt by the Respondent of the Notice of Arbitration, the parties shall jointly nominate or jointly request the Chairperson to appoint the presiding arbitrator.

(4) If both parties fail to nominate jointly the presiding arbitrator in accordance with Article 19(2) and (3), the presiding arbitrator shall be appointed by the Chairperson.

(5) Where there are two or more Claimants or Respondents in the case, the Claimants or the Respondents shall jointly nominate or jointly request the Chairperson to appoint an arbitrator；if no joint nomination or joint request has been made within 15 days from the date of receipt of the the Notice of Acceptance or the Notice of Arbitration by the last party, the arbitrator shall be appointed by the Chairperson.

(6) In the event of a joinder, the joined party shall nominate the arbitrator jointly with either the Claimant or the Respondent, as the case may be. If no such a nomination has been made, all members of the Arbitral Tribunal shall be appointed by the Chairperson. 

(7) Where a party nominates an arbitrator who resides outside Dongguan, that party shall bear the necessary travel and accommodation expenses incurred by that arbitrator for hearing the case. If that party has not deposited the advance on such expenses within the period specified by the DGAC, it shall be deemed not to have nominated that arbitrator. In this event, the Chairperson may appoint another arbitrator for that party in accordance with this Article. 

(8) Where an arbitrator declines to accept a party’s nomination or is unable to participate in the arbitration, due to illness or any other relevant factors that may prevent him or her from performing an arbitrator’s usual functions and duties, that party shall nominate another arbitrator within 5 days of receipt of notice of re-nomination (the “Notice of Re-nomination”). If that party fails to nominate another arbitrator within the time limit, the arbitrator shall be appointed by the Chairperson. 

Article 20: Notice of Constitution of the Arbitral Tribunal

Within 5 days of the constitution of the Arbitral Tribunal, the DGAC shall notify the parties accordingly. The Case Manager shall forward the case file to the Arbitral Tribunal promptly thereafter.

Article 21: Disclosure by Arbitrators

(1) Upon accepting appointment, each arbitrator shall sign a statement of independence and impartiality. 

(2) If, at any time, an arbitrator becomes aware of circumstances relating to either party or its authorized representatives that are likely to lead any party to have reasonable doubts about his or her independence or impartiality, the arbitrator shall disclose such circumstances in writing. 

(3) Within 10 days of receiving a written disclosure under Article 21(2), either party shall state in writing whether it intends to challenge the arbitrator.

(4) The provisions of Article 22(1), (2), (4), (5) and (6) shall apply to the challenge to an arbitrator on the basis of circumstances disclosed by the arbitrator under Article 21(2). 

(5) A party who fails to challenge an arbitrator within the period of time specified in Article 22(3) shall not be permitted to challenge the arbitrator at a later time during the arbitral proceedings on the basis of the circumstances already disclosed by the arbitrator.

Article 22: Challenge to the Arbitrator

(1) If, in the opinion of the arbitrator, one of the following circumstances occurs, the arbitrator shall submit an application for withdrawal to the DGAC. The parties have the right to challenge the arbitrator, under any of the following circumstances：

(a) the arbitrator is a party to the case or close relative of the party or the party’s representative; 

(b) the arbitrator has an interest in the case;

(c) the arbitrator has other relations with the parties or their representatives in the case, which may affect impartial arbitration;

(d) the arbitrator meets the parties or their representatives without permission, or accepts hospitality or gifts offered by the parties or their representatives.

(2) A challenge shall be made in writing and accompanied by the grounds of the challenge and supporting evidence.

(3) A challenge shall be raised before the first oral hearing. A challenge based on circumstances that become known after the first oral hearing may be raised prior to the closure of the final oral hearing. Without prejudice to Article 21(3), where no further oral hearing will be conducted, or in a documents-only arbitration, a challenge shall be raised within 10 days after the challenging party becomes aware of the circumstances giving rise to a challenge.

(4) The Case Manager shall promptly forward the Application for Challenge to the other party and to each member of the Arbitral Tribunal.

(5) Where a party challenges an arbitrator and the other party concurs with the challenge, or the challenged arbitrator withdraws voluntarily upon being informed of the challenge, that arbitrator shall no longer participate in the arbitration. Neither of these circumstances shall imply that the grounds on which the challenge is based are established.

(6) Unless Article 22(5) applies, the Chairperson shall decide on the challenge. If the Chairperson acts as an arbitrator, the general members’ meeting of the DGAC shall decide on the challenge to the Chairperson. The decision of the Chairperson or the general members’ meeting of the DGAC shall be final. The Chairperson or the general members’ meeting of the DGAC may decide, according to the particular circumstances of the case and as a matter of discretion, whether to provide reasons for the decision.

(7) A party who, after becoming aware of the composition of the Arbitral Tribunal, appoints authorized representatives whose appointment may give rise to grounds for the challenge of any arbitrator, shall be deemed to have waived its right to challenge the arbitrator on those grounds; the right of the other party to challenge the arbitrator shall not, however, be affected. Additional costs resulting from any delay caused to the arbitral proceedings in these circumstances shall be borne by the party responsible for giving rise to the grounds for challenge.

Article 23: Replacement of the Arbitrator

(1) An arbitrator shall be removed if he or she becomes unable to conduct the arbitration as a result of death or illness, or withdraws from the arbitration, or the Chairperson decides that he or she is to withdraw from the arbitration, or is requested by all the parties to withdraw from the arbitration.

(2) An arbitrator may also be removed on the initiative of the Chairperson if the Chairperson decides that the arbitrator is prevented de jure or de facto from fulfilling his or her functions and duties as an arbitrator, or is not fulfilling his or her functions and duties as required by the Rules.

(3) Before making any decision pursuant to the provisions of Article 23(2), the Chairperson shall provide the parties and all members of the Arbitral Tribunal with an opportunity to comment thereon in writing. 

(4) If the arbitrator to be removed was nominated by a party, that party shall nominate a substitute arbitrator within 5 days of its receipt of the notice of removal. If the arbitrator to be removed was appointed by the Chairperson, the Chairperson shall appoint a substitute arbitrator. Within 5 days of such nomination or appointment of the substitute arbitrator, the DGAC shall send a notice of reconstitution of the Arbitral Tribunal to the parties. After the reconstitution of the Arbitral Tribunal, either party may request the previous arbitral proceedings to be repeated and the Arbitral Tribunal shall determine whether such repetition is necessary. The Arbitral Tribunal may also, on its own initiative, decide whether and to what extent the previous arbitral proceedings shall be repeated. If the Arbitral Tribunal decides to repeat the arbitral proceedings in their entirety, the time limit provided for in Articles 47, 58 and 65 shall be recalculated from the date of the reconstitution of the Arbitral Tribunal.

Article 24: Mode of Proceeding

(1) The Arbitral Tribunal shall hold an oral hearing. 

(2) If the parties agree on a documents-only arbitration, or if the Arbitral Tribunal considers an oral hearing unnecessary and the parties so agree, the Arbitral Tribunal may decide the arbitration on the basis of the documents submitted by the parties. 

(3) Regardless of the mode of proceeding adopted, the Arbitral Tribunal shall treat the parties fairly and impartially and give each party a reasonable opportunity to make submissions and arguments.

Article 25: Confidentiality

(1) All arbitration hearings shall be conducted in private. If the parties agree on a public hearing, the arbitration hearing may proceed in public, except where the case involves state secrets, any third party’s commercial secrets, or any relevant circumstances in which the Arbitral Tribunal considers that a public hearing is inappropriate. 

(2) Where an arbitration is conducted in private, neither the parties, nor their authorized representatives, nor any witnesses, arbitrators, experts consulted by the Arbitral Tribunal and appraisers appointed by the Arbitral Tribunal, nor the staff of the DGAC shall disclose to third parties any information concerning the arbitration, whether substantive or procedural. 

Article 26: Seat of Arbitration

(1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the seat of arbitration shall be the location of the DGAC. The DGAC may also determine the seat of arbitration according to the particular circumstances of the case. 

(2) The arbitral award shall be deemed to have been rendered at the seat of the arbitration.

Article 27: Place of Hearing

(1) Unless the parties otherwise agree, hearings shall be held at the DGAC’s premises. 

(2) If the parties agree upon a hearing at any other location, the resulting additional costs shall be borne by the parties. The parties shall deposit an advance on such additional costs in accordance with the proportion agreed by them or decided upon by the Arbitral Tribunal within a period specified by the DGAC. If such deposit is not made, the hearing shall be held at the DGAC’s premises. 

Article 28: Concurrent Hearings

　(1) The Arbitral Tribunal may order concurrent hearings, provided that:

(a) the arbitrations concerned involve the same or related subject-matter; 

(b) a party applies for concurrent hearings with the consent of all other parties concerned; and

(c) the composition of the Arbitral Tribunals in the arbitrations concerned is identical. 

(2) The Arbitral Tribunal may, according to the particular circumstances of the case, decide on the detailed procedure for the arbitral proceedings as a result of its order.

Article 29: Consolidation of Arbitrations

(1) Where the parties so agree, or where one party applies and the DGAC, in its discretion, considers it necessary, the DGAC may decide to consolidate two or more arbitrations pending under the Rules into a single arbitration. Where an order for consolidation is made, arbitrations shall be consolidated into the arbitration that commenced first, unless otherwise agreed by the parties. 

(2) In deciding whether to order consolidation, the DGAC shall take into account the specific circumstances of arbitration agreements on which the relevant arbitrations are based, the nexus between those arbitrations, the stage that each set of arbitration proceedings has reached, the arbitrators already nominated or appointed in the relevant arbitrations and any other relevant factors.

Article 30: Notice of Hearing 

(1) Where an arbitration is to be conducted by way of an oral hearing, the Arbitral Tribunal shall notify the parties of the date of the first hearing at least 10 days in advance. The first hearing may be rescheduled to an earlier date by the Arbitral Tribunal with the agreement of the parties. A party may, no less than 5 days in advance of the hearing, request a postponement of the first hearing, provided that there are grounds justifying the postponement. The Arbitral Tribunal shall, in its discretion, decide whether to postpone the first hearing, having regard to all relevant circumstances. 

(2) A notification of the date of any subsequent hearing, or of the date of a postponed hearing, shall not be subject to the 10-day time limit in Article 30(1). 

Article 31: Default

(1) Having been duly notified in writing of the hearing under Article 30, if the Claimant fails to appear at the hearing without any justification, or withdraws from an ongoing hearing without the permission of the Arbitral Tribunal, the Claimant may be deemed to have withdrawn its Application for Arbitration. Where the Respondent has raised a Counterclaim, the Claimant’s default shall not affect the hearing of the Counterclaim by the Arbitral Tribunal.

(2) Having been duly notified in writing of the hearing, if the Respondent fails to appear at the hearing without any justification, or withdraws from an ongoing hearing without the permission of the Arbitral Tribunal, the Arbitral Tribunal may proceed with the arbitration. Where the Respondent has raised a Counterclaim, such Counterclaim shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.

Article 32: Production of Evidence

(1) One party shall produce evidence to prove the facts on which its Claims are based or the facts based on which it defends against the other party’s Claims, except as otherwise provided by law.

(2) The parties shall complete the evidence within fifteen days from the date of receipt of the Notice of Acceptance or the Notice of Arbitration. If the production is delayed, the Arbitral Tribunal shall decide whether to accept the evidence. If it is truly difficult for the parties to produce evidence within the time limit, they may apply in writing to extend the time limit for the production of evidence before the expiration of such time limit. Whether or not to approve the application shall be decided by the Arbitral Tribunal.

(3) The time limit for the production of evidence for the counterclaims by the parties shall be governed by Article32 (2).

(4) If a party having the burden of proof fails to produce evidence within the specified period of time, or if the evidence produced is insufficient to discharge its burden of proof, it shall bear the adverse consequences of such failure. 

(5) Each party shall properly bind, number, and paginate the evidence it produces. The file of evidence shall be accompanied by a list stating briefly the title of each piece of evidence and the purpose of producing it. The evidence list shall be signed, sealed and dated. 

(6) Any reproduction, photograph, duplicate, or abridged version of any document or any item produced by one party to another party shall be deemed to be identical to the original copy, unless the other party challenges its authenticity. 

(7) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties or otherwise provided for in the Rules, evidence and written documents submitted in a foreign language shall be accompanied by a Chinese translation. The Arbitral Tribunal may, if necessary, require the parties to provide a translation of the evidence and of any written documents in another language or in other languages.

Article 33: Investigation and Collection of Evidence by the Arbitral Tribunal

(1) If a party makes an application and the Arbitral Tribunal considers it necessary, or there is no such application, but the Arbitral Tribunal considers it necessary according to the particular circumstances of the case, the Arbitral Tribunal may undertake investigations and/or collect evidence on its own initiative. If the Arbitral Tribunal considers it necessary to require the parties to be present when it undertakes investigations or collects evidence, it shall notify the parties in a timely fashion. Provided that the parties have been duly notified, the Arbitral Tribunal may proceed with the investigations or the collection of evidence even if they fail to appear. 

(2) Evidence collected by the Arbitral Tribunal on its own initiative shall be forwarded to both parties for their comments in a timely fashion before an award is made. 

Article 34: Appraisal

(1) If a party requests an appraisal and the Arbitral Tribunal agrees with the request, or neither party makes an application but the Arbitral Tribunal considers it necessary to conduct an appraisal, the Arbitral Tribunal may notify the parties to nominate an appraiser jointly within a period of time specified by the Arbitral Tribunal, or appoint the appraiser at its own discretion. 

(2) The parties shall deposit an advance on the appraisal costs in accordance with a proportion agreed by them or decided by the Arbitral Tribunal. The Arbitral Tribunal may decide not to conduct the appraisal if the parties do not deposit an advance. 

(3) The Arbitral Tribunal may require the parties, and the parties shall be under the obligation, to provide or present to the appraiser any relevant document, data, property or any other goods required for the appraisal. The Arbitral Tribunal shall decide upon any disagreement between any party and the appraiser as to whether a document, data, property or any other goods required for the appraisal is relevant to the case.

(4) The appraiser shall provide an appraisal report in writing. A copy of the appraisal report shall be sent to each party. Each party may express opinions on the appraisal report. 

(5) If the Arbitral Tribunal considers it necessary or if any party so requests, the Arbitral Tribunal may notify the appraiser to attend the hearing. The parties may, with the permission of the Arbitral Tribunal, question the appraiser on relevant aspects of the appraisal report. 

(6) Any period of time taken to conduct an appraisal shall not be taken into account for the purposes of calculating the time limits provided for in Articles 47, 58 and 65 of the Rules. 

Article 35: Procedural Orders

The Arbitral Tribunal may, according to the particular circumstances of the case, make procedural orders, including but not limited to the preparation of the procedural timetable for the hearing, issuing lists of questions, holding pre-hearing conferences, and producing terms of reference. The Arbitral Tribunal may authorize the presiding arbitrator to make any of these procedural orders.

Article 36: Examination of Evidence

(1) The Arbitral Tribunal may, according to the particular circumstances of the case, require the parties to take appropriate steps to verify the authenticity of the copies of the evidence. The Arbitral Tribunal may delegate the Case Manager to coordinate this process. 

(2) Where an oral hearing is to be held, evidence exchanged between the parties prior to the hearing shall be presented by them for examination during the hearing. Evidence produced by a party may be admitted and accepted as the basis of fact finding without being presented at the hearing for examination if the other party has acknowledged its admissibility and the Arbitral Tribunal has, during the hearing, confirmed the other party’s acknowledgement of this.

(3) Where evidence is produced by any party during or after the hearing and the Arbitral Tribunal decides to admit the evidence without holding any further hearings, the Arbitral Tribunal may require the other party to comment on such evidence in writing within a specified period of time.

Article 37: Assessment of Evidence

(1) The Arbitral Tribunal shall have the authority to assess the evidence. It shall also decide on whether to adopt an appraiser’s opinion. 

(2) When assessing any evidence, the Arbitral Tribunal may, in addition to referring to relevant laws, regulations and judicial interpretations, conduct its assessment by taking into consideration factors such as industry practices and trade usages, and shall consider the case in its totality. 

Article 38: Presentation of Arguments

Each party may present oral arguments during the hearing. The Arbitral Tribunal may also require the parties to submit written arguments on particular issues according to the circumstances of the case.

Article 39: Closing Statements

At the closing of the hearing, the Arbitral Tribunal shall invite closing statements from the parties, which may be presented either orally during the hearing or in writing within a period of time specified by the Arbitral Tribunal.

Article 40: Record of Hearing

(1) The Arbitral Tribunal shall make a written record of the hearing, except in the case of mediation proceedings.

(2) The Arbitral Tribunal may make an audio or video record of the hearing. 

(3) A party or any other participant in the arbitration may request the rectification of any omission or error in the written record of their oral statement. The request shall be recorded if the Arbitral Tribunal does not allow the rectification. 

(4) The Arbitral Tribunal, the person who makes the recording, the parties and other participants in the arbitration shall sign or affix their seals on the written record. 

(5) Upon a joint request by both parties, or a request by one party that has been approved by the DGAC, the DGAC may appoint one or more stenographers to record the hearing. The resulting additional costs shall be borne by the parties or the requesting party, as the case may be.

Article 41: Withdrawal of an Application for Arbitration and Dismissal of Cases

(1) The Claimant may withdraw the Application for Arbitration. Where the Respondent has raised a Counterclaim, withdrawal of the Application for Arbitration shall not affect the hearing and determination of such counterclaim by the Arbitral Tribunal. The Respondent may withdraw its counterclaim. Withdrawal of the Counterclaim shall not affect the hearing and determination of the Claimant’s claim by the Arbitral Tribunal.

(2) Where all claims and counterclaims (if any) have been withdrawn, the case can be dismissed. Dismissal of the case shall be decided by the Arbitral Tribunal, or if no Arbitral Tribunal has been constituted, by the DGAC. 

(3) Where it becomes unnecessary or impossible to continue the arbitral proceedings for any reason, the DGAC or the Arbitral Tribunal, as the case may be, may dismiss the case. 

(4) Where the case has been dismissed, the DGAC may decide whether to refund the advance on the arbitration fees or any other fees paid in advance, as well as the specific amount of such refund, according to the circumstances of the case.

Article 42: Mediation by the Arbitral Tribunal

(1) The Arbitral Tribunal may, at the request or with the consent of the parties, conduct a mediation of the case in such manner as it considers appropriate. 

(2) If the mediation leads to a settlement, the parties may withdraw their claims and counterclaims (if any), or may request the Arbitral Tribunal either to issue a Statement of Mediation or to render an award in accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement. 

(3) The Statement of Mediation shall state the claims and the terms of the resulting settlement agreement reached by the parties. It shall be signed by the arbitrators, sealed by the DGAC, and served on all the parties. The Statement of Mediation shall be legally binding after all the parties have acknowledged receipt of it in writing.

(4) The Arbitral Tribunal shall rectify any clerical and computational errors or similar errors in the Statement of Mediation. The parties may request such rectification within 30 days from the date on which the parties sign the receipt of the Statement of Mediation. Any such rectification shall become part of the Statement of Mediation and shall take effect immediately after being served on the parties. 

(5) If the mediation fails to lead to a settlement, neither party shall be permitted to adduce evidence of or to refer to or use any statements, opinions, views or proposals expressed by the other party or by the Arbitral Tribunal during the mediation in support of any claim, defense, or counterclaim in the subsequent arbitral proceedings, or as grounds in any judicial or other proceedings.

Article 43: Independent Mediation

(1) During the arbitral proceedings, the parties may enter into a voluntary settlement agreement or may apply to the DGAC Mediation Institution or the third-party mediation institution delegated by the DGAC for mediation by mediators.

(2) Where a settlement agreement is concluded through an independent mediation under this Article, the parties may jointly request the constitution of an Arbitral Tribunal either to issue a Statement of Mediation or to render an award in accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement. The parties shall bear the resulting additional costs. 

Article 44: Suspension and Resumption of Arbitral Proceedings 

(1) Where parties request a suspension of the arbitration proceedings, or under circumstances where such suspension is necessary pursuant to relevant law or provisions of the Rules, the arbitration proceedings may be suspended by the Arbitral Tribunal. Where the Arbitral Tribunal has not yet been formed, such decision shall be made by the DGAC. Any period of time during which the arbitral proceedings were suspended shall not be taken into account for the calculation of the time limits provided for in Articles 47, 58 and 65.

(2) The arbitration proceedings shall resume as soon as the reason for the suspension no longer exists.  

Article 45: Continuation of the Arbitral Proceedings with Majority of the Arbitral Tribunal

Article 46: Decisions on Procedural Matters

(1) The Arbitral Tribunal may decide upon procedural matters during the arbitral proceedings. 

(2) Any decision of an Arbitral Tribunal comprising 3 arbitrators shall be made by a majority of the arbitrators. If the Arbitral Tribunal fails to reach a majority decision, the decision of the presiding arbitrator shall prevail.

(3) The presiding arbitrator may, with the consent of the parties or with the authorization of the Arbitral Tribunal, decide upon procedural matters.

Article 47: Time Limit for Rendering the Award

The Arbitral Tribunal shall render its award within 3 months of its constitution. If there are special circumstances justifying an extension to this period, the Chairperson may approve an extension of an appropriate time period at the request of the presiding arbitrator.

Article 48: Rendering the Award

(1) The award of an Arbitral Tribunal comprising 3 arbitrators shall be made by a majority of the arbitrators. The minority dissenting opinion may be recorded in writing. If the Arbitral Tribunal fails to reach a majority decision, the award shall be made in accordance with the opinion of the presiding arbitrator. 

(2) The award shall state the claims, the facts associated with the dispute, the reasons upon which the award is based, operative directions disposing of the dispute, the allocation of arbitration fees, and the date of the award. The Arbitral Tribunal shall not be required to state the facts associated with the dispute or the reasons upon which the award is based if the parties so agree, or if the award is made in accordance with the terms of a settlement agreement between the parties.

(3) The award shall be signed by every member of the Arbitral Tribunal. A dissenting arbitrator may elect not to sign the award. An arbitrator who elects not to sign the award shall issue a dissenting opinion in writing, which shall be sent by the DGAC to the parties together with the award. A dissenting opinion shall not form part of the award. 

(4) After an award has been signed by the arbitrator(s), the DGAC’s seal shall be affixed to it. 

Article 49: Partial Award and Interim Award

(1) Where the Arbitral Tribunal considers it necessary, or where a party so requests and the Arbitral Tribunal approves, the Arbitral Tribunal may render a partial award disposing of particular claims before the proceeding to render the final award. 

(2) Where the Arbitral Tribunal considers it necessary, or where a party so requests and the Arbitral Tribunal approves, the Arbitral Tribunal may render an interim award on disputed procedural or substantive issues. 

(3) The parties concerned shall perform any partial award and interim award. Failure by any party to perform a partial award or an interim award shall neither affect the subsequent arbitral proceedings nor prevent the Arbitral Tribunal from rendering the final award.

Article 50: Validity and Performance of the Award

(1) An award shall be legally binding from the date on which it is made. 

(2) After an award has been made, the parties concerned shall perform the award in accordance with the time limit for performance specified in the award. Where an award does not specify the time limit for performance, it shall be performed immediately. Where any party fails to perform the award, the other party may apply to the competent court for enforcement. 

Article 51: Allocation of Costs

(1) The Arbitral Tribunal may determine in its award how the arbitration fees and any expenses actually incurred shall be borne by the parties, including but not limited to appraisal fees, evaluation fees and audit fees. 

(2) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the costs of the arbitration shall in principle be borne by the losing party. If either party is only partially successful, the Arbitral Tribunal shall determine the proportion of each party’s share of the costs on the basis of the extent of the liability of each party. If the parties reach a settlement either independently or as a result of mediation by the Arbitral Tribunal, they may agree upon the proportion of their respective shares. 

(3) Where the circumstances described in Article 22(7) of the Rules apply, or there exist any other breaches of the Rules that cause delay in the arbitral proceedings, the allocation of arbitration costs to the party at fault shall not be limited by the provisions of Article 51(2). Where other costs are incurred or increased due to such delay in the arbitral proceedings, the party causing the delay shall also bear the costs so incurred or increased. 

(4) The Arbitral Tribunal may, pursuant to a party’s request, order that the losing party shall bear the winning party’s reasonable costs and expenses for the conduct of the arbitration, including but not limited to attorney’s fees, the costs of preservation measures, travel and accommodation expenses, and notarial fees. Where the Arbitral Tribunal determines the amount of these costs and expenses, it shall take into consideration the outcome of the case, its complexity, the actual workload of the parties or their attorneys, the amount in dispute, and any other relevant factors.

(5) If the winning party represented by the attorney requires the losing party to bear its attorney’s fees of handling the case, and the parties have agreed on a specific amount of the attorney’s fees, the agreement shall prevail, but the amount of the attorney’s fees supported by the Arbitral Tribunal shall not exceed 15% of the winning amount. If there is no agreement between the parties, the amount of the actual expenditure of attorney’s fees supported by the Arbitral Tribunal shall not exceed 15% of the winning amount.

Article 52: Correction of the Award and Supplementary Award

(1) The Arbitral Tribunal shall correct any clerical error or computational error, and address any omission of issues that have been raised by a party in its claim and decided upon by the Arbitral Tribunal but omitted in the operative directions disposing of the dispute. In the event that any claim is omitted entirely from the award, the Arbitral Tribunal shall render a supplementary award thereon. 

(2) Upon discovering the existence of any of the circumstances described in Article 52(1), a party may, within 30 days of the date of receiving the award, request in writing that the Arbitral Tribunal rectify the award or render a supplementary award. 

(3) Any rectification by or supplementary award of the Arbitral Tribunal shall form part of the original arbitral award. 

Article 53: Scope of the Application of Expedited Procedure

(1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the expedited procedure set out in this Chapter (the “Expedited Procedure”) shall apply if the amount in dispute does not exceed RMB 1,000,000. 

(2) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the Expedited Procedure shall apply where the parties have agreed that the arbitration concerned shall be heard by a sole arbitrator. 

(3) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the ordinary procedure set out in Chapter V (the “Ordinary Procedure”) shall apply where the parties have agreed that the arbitration concerned shall be heard by an Arbitral Tribunal composed of three arbitrators where the amount in dispute does not exceed RMB 1,000,000.

(4) If there is no amount in dispute or the amount in dispute is unclear, the DGAC shall comprehensively consider whether to apply the summary proceedings according to the complexity of the case, the actual interests involved and other relevant factors.

(5) Where Chapter VIII of the Rules makes special provisions for the Expedited Procedure, such provisions shall apply.

Article 54: Composition of the Arbitral Tribunal

(1) Arbitrations conducted in accordance with the Expedited Procedure shall be heard by a sole arbitrator. 

(2) Within 10 days of receipt of the Notice of Acceptance or the Notice of Arbitration by all parties, the parties shall jointly nominate a sole arbitrator or jointly request the Chairperson to appoint a sole arbitrator from the Panel of Arbitrators. If the parties fail jointly to nominate a sole arbitrator or request the Chairperson to appoint a sole arbitrator within the specified period, the Chairperson will appoint the sole arbitrator.

Article 55: Time Limit for Defense and Counterclaim

Within 10 days of receipt of the Notice of Arbitration, the Respondent shall submit to the DGAC its Statement of Defense, together with any relevant supporting documents. A Counterclaim, if any, shall also be submitted within 10 days of receipt of the Notice of Arbitration, together with any relevant supporting documents.

Article 56: Notice of Hearing

(1) Where an oral hearing is to be held, the Arbitral Tribunal shall notify the parties of the date of the hearing at least 3 days in advance. 

(2) If the Arbitral Tribunal decides to hear the case by way of oral hearing, it shall hold one hearing only. Where necessary, however, the Arbitral Tribunal may on its own initiative decide to hold further hearings. Notification of the date of any further hearing shall not, however, be subject to the 3-day time limit under Article 56(1). 

Article 57: Expedited Procedure Converted into Ordinary Procedure

(1) Proceedings under the Expedited Procedure may be converted into proceedings under the Ordinary Procedure upon the joint request of the parties or upon the request of one party with the approval of the other parties. 

(2) Proceedings under the Expedited Procedure shall not be affected by reason of any amendment to the Claim, the submission of a Counterclaim or any amendment causing the amount in dispute to exceed RMB 1,000,000. If a party is of the opinion that the proceedings under the Expedited Procedure may be so affected, it may request the Chairperson to convert the proceedings into proceedings under the Ordinary Procedure. The Chairperson shall decide whether to approve such application. 

(3) The parties shall agree upon their respective proportions of the advance on the additional arbitration fees arising from the conversion of proceedings from the Expedited Procedure into the Ordinary Procedure. Where the parties fail to agree, such proportions shall be determined by the DGAC. Where the parties fail to deposit an advance on the resulting additional costs in accordance with the requirements of the DGAC, no conversion of procedure shall be ordered. 

(4) In the event of conversion of proceedings from the Expedited Procedure into the Ordinary Procedure after the constitution of the Arbitral Tribunal, the parties shall, within 5 days of receipt of a notice of the conversion of the procedure (“Notice of Conversion of Procedure”), respectively nominate or respectively request the Chairperson to appoint their arbitrators in accordance with Article 19 of the Rules. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the sole arbitrator originally appointed shall become the presiding arbitrator. The reconstituted Arbitral Tribunal shall decide whether and to what extent the arbitral proceedings conducted prior to the reconstitution shall be repeated. Where the reconstituted Arbitral Tribunal decides to repeat the arbitral proceedings in their entirety, the time limit provided for in Articles 47 and 65 of the Rules shall be recalculated from the date of the reconstitution of the Arbitral Tribunal.

(5) The Expedited Procedure shall cease to apply to the arbitral proceedings from the date of the conversion. 

Article 58: Time Limit for Rendering the Award

The Arbitral Tribunal shall render its award within 45 days from the date of its constitution. If there are special circumstances justifying an extension of this period, the Chairperson may approve an appropriate extension of time at the request of the sole arbitrator.

Article 59: Reference to other Provisions of the Rules

In respect of matters not provided for in this Chapter, other relevant provisions of the Rules shall apply.

Article 60: Scope of Application of this Chapter

(1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the provisions of this Chapter shall apply to international commercial arbitrations. In respect of matters not provided for in this Chapter, the other relevant provisions of the Rules shall apply. 

(2) Arbitrations relating to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“SAR”), the Macao SAR and the Taiwan region may also be conducted by reference to the provisions of this Chapter. 

(3) Any dispute between the parties as to the existence of international elements shall be referred to the Arbitral Tribunal for a decision. The decision of the Arbitral Tribunal shall not affect arbitral proceedings already conducted. This Chapter shall apply if the Arbitral Tribunal decides that international elements exist in the case.

Article 61: Composition of the Arbitral Tribunal

(1) Within 20 days of receipt of the Notice of Acceptance or the Notice of Arbitration, the parties shall, pursuant to Article 19, respectively nominate or respectively request the Chairperson to appoint an arbitrator, or jointly nominate or jointly request the Chairperson to appoint the presiding arbitrator.

(2) If the parties fail to nominate or request the Chairperson to appoint their arbitrators or jointly nominate the presiding arbitrator in accordance with Article 61(1),the presiding arbitrator or the other arbitrators shall be appointed by the Chairperson. 

Article 62: Defense and Counterclaim

Within 45 days (or 30 days where Article 53 applies) of receipt of the Notice of Arbitration, the Respondent shall submit to the DGAC its Statement of Defense, together with any relevant supporting documents. The Respondent shall also submit in writing the Application for Counterclaim, if any, within the time limit.

Article 63: Notice of Hearing

(1) Where an oral hearing is to be held, the Arbitral Tribunal shall notify the parties of the date of the hearing at least 30 days (or 10 days where Article 53 applies) in advance of the hearing. The date of the first hearing may be brought forward by the Arbitral Tribunal with the agreement of the parties. A party may request in writing a postponement of the first hearing, no less than 12 days (or 5 days where Article 53 applies) in advance, provided that there are grounds justifying the postponement. The Arbitral Tribunal shall decide whether to order postponement. 

(2) A notification of the date of any further hearing or postponed hearing shall not be subject to the 30-day or 10-day requirement under Article 63(1).

Article 64: Mediation by the Arbitral Tribunal

(1) The Arbitral Tribunal may, with the consent of the parties, conduct a mediation of the case in such manner as it considers appropriate. 

(2) If, upon the termination of unsuccessful mediation proceedings, all parties request the replacement of an arbitrator on the ground that the outcome of the award may be affected by the mediation proceedings, the Chairperson may approve such request. The resulting additional costs shall be borne by all the parties.

Article 65: Time Limit for Rendering the Award

The Arbitral Tribunal shall render its award within 6 months (or 90 days where Article 53 applies) of the date of its constitution. If there are special circumstances justifying an extension of this period, the Chairperson may approve an appropriate extension of time at the request of the presiding arbitrator or the sole arbitrator, as the case may be.

Article 66: Applicable Law

(1) The Arbitral Tribunal shall apply the law agreed upon by the parties to decide the dispute. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the agreed applicable law refers to the substantive rules of law but not to the rules of conflict of laws. 

(2) In the absence of an agreed choice of law, the Arbitral Tribunal may determine the applicable law according to all the relevant circumstances of the case. 

(3) By agreement of the parties, whether before or during the arbitral proceedings, the Arbitral Tribunal may render its award as amiable compositeur or ex aequo et bono. Such award shall not, however, violate the mandatory provisions of the applicable law and the public interest. 

(4) In all cases, the Arbitral Tribunal shall render its award in accordance with the valid terms of the parties’ agreement and take into account the relevant industry practices and trade usages.

Article 67: Arbitration Fees

Arbitration fees shall be imposed and refunded in accordance with relevant provisions on arbitration fees of the DGAC.

Article 68: Calculation of Time Limits

(1) Any period of time specified or determined in accordance with the Rules shall start to run on the day following the date on which such period commences. The day on which such period commences does not form part of the period of time.

(2) If the day following the date on which the period of time commences is an official holiday or a non-business day at the place of the service, the period of time shall begin to run on the first following business day. Official holidays or non-business days occurring within such period are included in the calculation of the period of time. If the last day of the relevant period of time falls on an official holiday or a non-business day, the period of time shall expire on the first following business day.

(3) Time for delivery shall not be included in the period of time. Any arbitral document, notice, or material that has been mailed or dispatched within the time limit shall be deemed to have been delivered in time.

(4) If a party exceeds a time limit because of force majeure events or other legitimate reasons, it may apply for an extension of that time limit within 10 days of the events or other reasons ceasing to have effect. The DGAC or the Arbitral Tribunal, as the case may be, shall decide upon the application.

(5) Time limits specified in the Rules that fall within the scope of the DGAC’s case management functions (including but not limited to time limits specified in Articles 9, 10(2), 11(4) and 20) may be extended upon the approval of the Chairperson taking into account the specific circumstances of the case.

Article 69: Service

(1) Arbitral documents, notices and other materials may be served on the parties or their authorized representatives in person or by mail, courier, facsimile, email, public notice, or any other means that the DGAC or the Arbitral Tribunal, as the case may be, considers appropriate.

(2) Arbitral documents, notices and materials shall be deemed to have been served if they have been delivered to the parties or their authorized representatives in person or by mail to the addressee’s place of business, place of registration, place of residence, address indicated on ID card, Hukou address, address for service agreed by the parties or any other correspondence address provided by the addressee or the counterparty.

(3) If, despite reasonable inquiries, the addressee’s place of business, place of registration, place of residence, address indicated on ID card, Hukou address, address for service agreed by the parties, or other correspondence address cannot be found, service shall be deemed to have been properly effected if the document, notice or material is delivered to the addressee’s last known place of business, place of registration, place of residence, address indicated on ID card, Hukou address, address for service agreed by the parties or other correspondence address, whether by mail, courier or by any other means of delivery which allows for a record of delivery.

(4) If the whereabouts of a natural person is unknown or the service cannot be accomplished by other means in this Article, the service may be achieved via service by public notice. After 60 days from the post date of the public notice, the service shall be deemed as accomplished.

Article 70: Language

(1) The parties may agree upon the language(s) to be used in the arbitral proceedings. Where the parties make no such agreement, the DGAC or the Arbitral Tribunal, as the case may be, may determine that Chinese and/or any other language(s) shall be used in the arbitral proceedings according to the particular circumstances of the case.

(2) Where the parties have agreed upon the use of two or more languages in the arbitral proceedings, the Arbitral Tribunal may, upon obtaining consent from the parties, decide to adopt one language. If the parties fail to reach a unanimous agreement thereon, the arbitral proceedings may be conducted in multiple languages, in which case the resulting additional costs shall be borne by the parties.

(3) The DGAC or the Arbitral Tribunal, as the case may be, may determine, in accordance with the particular circumstances of the case, whether written documents in international commercial arbitral proceedings shall be accompanied by a translation into Chinese or other language(s).

(4) If translation services are required by the parties or their authorized representatives or witnesses, translators may be provided either by the DGAC or by the parties themselves. The parties shall bear the costs of translation.

Article 71: Interpretation of the Rules

(1) The Rules shall be interpreted by the DGAC. 

(2) Other documents issued by the DGAC shall not constitute part of the Rules, unless the DGAC states otherwise.

Article 72: Official Versions of the Rules

Each of the Chinese, English and other language versions of the Rules published by the DGAC is an official version. In the event of any conflict between the different versions, the Chinese version shall prevail.

Article 73: Implementation of the Rules

The Rules shall take effect on March 30, 2021.