随着港珠澳大桥通车，粤港澳交流日益频密，大湾区发展日新月异，法律纠纷快速增长，并随之呈现多样化、复杂化趋势。为了努力满足新时代人民群众日益增长的纠纷多元化解需求，促使各类纠纷及时化解，有效保护境内外当事人的合法权益，近日，珠海横琴法院在加强诉调衔接、促进纠纷多元化解方面走出新路。

With the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge opening to traffic, the exchanges among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau are becoming more and more frequent, the development of the Great Bay Area is changing with each passing day, and legal disputes are growing rapidly, showing a trend of diversification and complexity. In order to vigorously meet the increasing demand of the people for the resolution of disputes in a diversified way in the new era, facilitate the timely resolution of disputes and effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of both domestic and foreign parties, the Zhuhai Hengqin Court has recently blazes a new trail in strengthening the convergence of litigation and mediation and promoting the resolution of disputes by a multi-pronged approach.

6月14日，横琴法院与北京融商一带一路法律与商事服务中心暨一带一路国际商事调解中心(以下简称融商调解中心)在横琴法院举行签约仪式，横琴法院蔡美鸿院长与融商调解中心主任王丽共同执笔签署了《建立诉讼与调解相衔接多元化纠纷解决机制合作协议》。

On June 14, 2019, the Hengqin Court of the one party and the Beijing Finance and Business Belt & Road Legal and Commercial Affairs Services Center and the Belt & Road International Commercial Mediation Center (hereinafter referred as the Finance and Business Mediation Center) of the other party, held a signing ceremony at the Hengqin Court. Cai Meihong, President of Hengqin Court and Wang Li, Director of the Finance and Business Mediation Center, jointly signed the Cooperation Agreement on the Establishment of a Mechanism for the Linkage of Litigation and Mediation and for the Diversified Resolution of Disputes.

横琴法院始终坚持司法为民导向，努力发挥国家级新区、自贸区先行先试优势，在多元化纠纷解决机制方面不断作出有益探索，搭建了诉调对接平台，建立了特邀调解机制，先后与横琴新区法律服务中心、横琴公证处和珠海仲裁委等开展合作，有效拓宽纠纷解决渠道，提高纠纷解决质效。

The Hengqin Court has always adhered to the orientation of “justice for the people”, made great efforts to give full play to the advantages of Hengqin as a national-level new area and free trade zone in respect of the priority to take the first step and to try, conducted useful explorations in the building a mechanism for the diversified resolution of disputes settlement mechanisms, established a platform for linking litigation with mediation,  created a special mediation mechanism, and worked at different times in collaboration  with the Hengqin New Area Legal Services Center, the Hengqin Notary Office and the Zhuhai Arbitration Commission, thus effectively broadening the channels for dispute resolution and improving the quality and effectiveness of dispute resolution.

随着国家“一带一路”、粤港澳大湾区建设的深入推进，横琴法院与融商调解中心经过前期的深入交流和探讨，在开展诉调相衔接、促进纠纷多元化解上达成了一致共识，共商建立合作机制，双方就案件委托、管理等内容进行诉调对接，就多元化解纠纷等内容进行深度合作。

With the further advancement of China’s Belt & Road Initiative and the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area, the Hengqin Court and the Finance and Business Mediation Center have, with the preliminary in-depth exchange and discussion, reached a consensus in carrying out the linkage of litigation and mediation and promoting the diversified resolution of disputes. The two parties have agreed to set up a cooperative mechanism for realizing a linkage of litigation and mediation in such matters as the entrustment and management of cases and deepening their collaboration in such matters as the diversified resolution of disputes.

横琴法院蔡美鸿院长表示，横琴法院与融商调解中心秉持共商共建共享理念，建立合作机制，积极构建多元化纠纷解决机制，充分体现了以人民为中心、促进社会公平正义的价值追求。希望今后携手并肩，相互配合，发挥各方的专业背景优势，推进资源共享，把诉调对接工作做实、做深、做出成效，为“一带一路”、粤港澳大湾区建设营造稳定、公平、透明的法治化营商环境。

President Cai Meihong of the Hengqin Court said that the Hengqin Court and the Finance and Business Mediation Center, adhering to the concept of building and sharing through consultation, have established a cooperative mechanism and actively constructed a diversified dispute resolution mechanism, which fully demonstrates their people-centered value pursuit of social equality and justice. We hope that we will be able to work hand in hand, coordinate with each other, give play to the respective advantages in the professional background of the sides, advance resources sharing, and do a good, in-depth and fruitful job of the linkage of litigation so as to create a stable, fair and transparent law-based business environment for the Belt & Road Initiative and the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area.

融商调解中心王丽主任表示，中心是国内第一家以民间方式制定国际调解规则的民间组织，自设立以来，案件调解成功率70%。未来，将深入实践探索，继续做好与法院的诉调对接工作，以东方智慧吸收现代调解国际经验，构建具有中国特色又符合国际商事纠纷解决需要的调解制度与运行平台，提升中国在国际纠纷解决中的话语权，增强国家的软实力和国际影响力。

Director Wang Li of the Finance and Business Mediation Center said that the Center is the first non-governmental organization in China to formulate international mediation rules in a non-governmental way. Since its establishment, the success rate of case mediation has been 70%. In the future, we will deepen our practical exploration, continue to do a good job of the linkage of litigation and mediation together with the court and, by leveraging the Oriental wisdom of ours in drawing on the contemporary international mediation experience, build a mediation system and operation platform with Chinese characteristics which will meet the needs of international commercial dispute resolution, so as to raise China's voice in international dispute resolution and enhance the country's soft power and international influence.

此次双方合作的顺利启动将有利于推进横琴法院诉调对接工作的规范化和常态化，不仅是落实中共中央深改组第二次会议审议通过《关于建立“一带一路”争端解决机制和机构的意见》的具体举措，更是为了进一步优化珠海营商环境，更好地服务和保障横琴自贸区和粤港澳大湾区建设。下一阶段，双方将进一步做好推进“诉调对接”机制建设的基础性调研，着力打造具有国际视野的调解队伍，搭建适应粤港澳大湾区发展需要的多元纠纷解决机制对接服务平台，探索完善多元纠纷解决工作新机制。

The smooth launching of the bilateral cooperation will help to promote the standardization and normalization of the Hengqin Court in the work to realize the linkage of litigation and mediation. It is not only a concrete measure to implement the Guidelines on the Establishment of a Mechanism and Organizations for the Resolution of Disputes Related to the Belt & Road Initiative adopted upon deliberation at the second session of the Leading Group for Deepening the Reform under the CPC Central Committee, but also a step that will further optimize the business environment in Zhuhai and better serve and guarantee the construction of the Hengqin Free Trade Zone and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area. In the next stage, the two parties will do an even better job of  the basic investigation and research for the purpose of taking forward the work to construct a mechanism for the “linkage of litigation and mediation”, strive to build a mediation team with an international perspective, create a joint service platform with a mechanism for the diversified resolution of disputes, a platform that will meet the needs of the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area, and explore ways to improve the new mechanism for the diversified resolution of disputes.

关于「一带一路国际商事调解中心」

Information about the Belt & Road International Commercial Mediation Center

北京融商一带一路法律与商事服务中心由北京法学会主管。在纠纷解决方面，中心创建“一带一路国际商事调解中心”。最高院司改办授予了一带一路国际商事调解中心为“多元化纠纷解决机制改革项目子课题单位”，中心的合法性、民间性、国际性、在线性、公开性特点和“线上线下、诉讼调解”两对接模式受到国际国内的认可。中心调解服务能力覆盖63个国家170多个城市，现有国际国内调解员235名。中心自设立以来，案件调解成功率70%。

The Beijing Finance and Business Belt & Road Legal and Commercial Affairs Services Center is in the charge of the Beijing Law Society. In dispute resolution, the Center has created the Belt & Road International Commercial Mediation Center. The Office of Judicialy Reform under the Supreme People’s Court accredited the Belt & Road International Commercial Mediation Center as a Sub-project Unit in the Reform of the Diversified Dispute Resolution Mechanism. The Center’s characteristics of legality, non-governmentality, internationality, online nature and openness and its model of double linkage of "online and offline, litigation and mediation" are recognized internationally and domestically. The Center's mediation service capacity covers more than 170 cities in 63 countries and the Center currently has 235 international and domestic mediators. Since its establishment, the success rate of case mediation has been 70%.

七大原则保障公正与效率

Seven major principles guarantee fairness and efficiency

根据合作协议，当商事等纠纷发生后，横琴法院将根据当事人意愿，在立案前或审理中将当事人引导至融商调解中心进行调解，达成调解后，由融商调解中心向横琴法院申请司法确认。

According to the cooperation agreement, when commercial disputes and other disputes occur, the Hengqin Court will, according to the wishes of the parties, guide the parties to the Finance and Business Mediation Center for mediation before filing the case or during the trial and, after conciliation is achieved, the Finance and Business Mediation Center can apply to the Hengqin Court for judicial confirmation. 

为了保障调解的公正与效率，横琴法院与融商调解中心共同制订了适用诉调对接机制进行调解时必须遵循的七项原则：

In order to guarantee the fairness and efficiency of mediation, the Hengqin Court and the Finance and Business Mediation Center have jointly formulated seven principles that must be followed when applying the linkage mechanism of litigation and mediation to mediation.

1. 合法原则。调解必须在法律允许的范围内进行，不得违反法律、行政法规等强制性规定。

1. The principle of legality. Mediation must be carried out within the scope permitted by law and must not violate mandatory provisions such as laws and administrative regulations.

2. 便民原则。及时、准确地向当事人释明诉讼程序及调解规则的相关规定，并对当事人进行指导和帮助。

2. The principle of convenience for the people. It is imperative to explain the relevant provisions of litigation procedure and mediation rules to the parties accurately and in a timely manner and provide guidance and assistance for the parties.

3. 自愿原则。调解时应充分尊重当事人的意见，调解不成功的，当事人可以自主选择诉讼或其他纠纷解决方式。

3. The principle of voluntariness. In conducting mediation, it is imperative to fully respect the opinions of the parties concerned. If the mediation is unsuccessful, the parties may choose their own way of litigation or other modes of dispute resolution.

4. 效率原则。通过调解快速化解矛盾纠纷，节约当事人的诉讼成本，促进社会经济的良性运行。

4. The principle of efficiency. With their differences and disputes quickly resolved through mediation, the litigation costs of the parties can be saved, which will help to promote the sound operation of social economy.

5. 保密原则。相关人员应当遵守保密规则。

5. The principle of confidentiality. People engaged in mediation shall abide by the rules of confidentiality.

6. 惯例原则。适用本机制进行调解时，可以参照商事惯例、行业规则。

6. The principles of common practice. When applying this mechanism to mediation, we may refer to standard commercial practice and/or trade rules.

7. 合规原则。适用本机制进行调解时，调解员按《一带一路国际商事调解中心调解规则》进行调解。

7. The principle of compliance with rules. When applying this mechanism to mediation, the mediator act in accordance with the Mediation Rules of the International Commercial Mediation Center.

当事人可以选择调解时限和适用规则

The parties concerned may choose the time limit and the applicable rules.

为了保证调解不拖延当事人诉讼解决的时间，横琴法院和融商调解中心分两种情况限定了调解时间：

In order to ensure that the mediation does not delay the time of litigation settlement, the Hengqin Court and the Finance and Business Mediation Center have set the time limit  of mediation based on two specific situations:

一是横琴法院在立案前委派融商调解中心调解的商事纠纷，调解期限一般为 30 日，从诉讼当事人同意调解之日起算。确有调解可能的，调解期限可延长至 60 日。各方当事人同意延长调解期限的，不受此限。

Firstly, for a business dispute which the Hengqin Court entrusts, before filing the case, the Finance and Business Mediation Center with the mediation thereof, the time limit will generally be 30 days as of the date on which the litigants agree to settlement through mediation. If there is a possibility of conciliation, the time limit may be extended to 60 days. If the parties agree to extend the time limit for mediation, this limit shall not apply.

二是横琴法院在立案后委托融商调解中心调解的案件，适用法院普通程序的，调解期限为 15日；适用法院简易程序的，调解期限为 7 日。调解期限从诉讼当事人同意调解之日起算。各方当事人同意延长调解期限的，不受此限。

Secondly, for a law case which the Hengqin Court entrusts, after filing the case, the Finance and Business Mediation Center with the mediation thereof, if the ordinary procedure of the Court is applicable, the time limit shall be 15 days and, if the summary procedure of the Court is applicable, the time lime shall be 7 days. The time limit for mediation shall start from the date on which the litigants agree to settlement by mediation. If the parties agree to extend the time limit for mediation, this limit shall not apply.

从而可知，不但调解期限有明确限制，当事人自身对期限也有很大自主权。

It thus can be seen that not only is the mediation period clearly limited, but also the parties themselves have great autonomy over the period.

此外，在适用规则上，对于涉外、涉港澳台商事纠纷，调解时可以根据当事人意愿依法适用外国法律、港澳台地区法律、国际公约、国际惯例和通行调解规则进行调解。此举充分体现了当事人自治原则，尊重当事人的意愿。

In addition, as far as the applicable rules are concerned, foreign laws, laws of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, international conventions, international common practice and general mediation rules may be applied to the mediation of foreign-related, or Hong Kong-related, Macau-related or Taiwan-related commercial disputes according to the wishes of the parties concerned. This fully reflects the principle of parties’ autonomy and respects the wishes of the parties.