At the outset, H.E. Dr. Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol, Secretary General of AALCO informed the President of the BEIHAI Asia International Arbitration Centre that one of the major achievements of AALCO in its programme in the economic field was the launching of its Integrated Scheme for Settlement of Disputes in the Economic and Commercial Transactions in 1978. Pursuant to that Scheme, it was decided to establish Regional Arbitration Centres under the auspices of AALCO, which would function as international institutions with the objectives to promote international commercial arbitration in the Asian-African regions and provide for conducting international arbitrations under these Centres.
Six such Centres have been established so far, which are located at Cairo (Arab Republic of Egypt), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Lagos (Nigeria), Tehran (Islamic Republic of Iran), Nairobi (Kenya) and Hong Kong (SRA). The respective host Governments and AALCO recognize their independent status like an international organization and have accorded privileges and immunities to these Centres.
Prof. Steve Ngo, in response stated that The BEIHAI Asia International Arbitration Centre (BAIAC), Singapore, was launched on 8 August 2019. Established by Beihai Arbitration Commission which is headquartered in Beihai, Guangxi Province, the move represents the first-ever establishment of an international arbitration centre in Singapore by a Chinese arbitration commission.
The impetus for the establishment of BAIAC in Singapore can be attributed to two core factors. Firstly, the need to provide lower-cost and efficient international arbitration for small to medium value disputes, which are prevalent in today’s common cross-border commercial transactions, including for Chinese parties and secondly, Singapore’s position as an international dispute resolution hub is also trusted to serve the region for disputes arising from Asia trade cooperation, and investments between Chinese and ASEAN parties.
Left: L-R: Prof. Steve Ngo, President (BAIAC) and H.E. Mr. Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol
Top: L-R: Dr. Ali Gasrshasbi, Deputy Secretary General, H.E. Mr. Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol, Secretary General, Prof. Steve Ngo, President (BAIAC), Mr. Jun Yamada, Deputy Secretary General and Mrs. Anuradha Bakshi, Deputy Director