Visit of OHADA's Permanent Secretary in China, from 25 June to 05 July 2018
Beijing and Shangaï (China), from 25 June to 05 July 2018
At the invitation of the China Law Society (CLS), OHADA's Permanent Secretary, Professor Dorothé Cossi SOSSA, accompanied by the Organization's Legal Affairs Director, made a working visit from 25th June to 05th July 2018 in Beijing and Shanghai (China), in order to meet with some business players, Chinese academics as well as the Arbitration Centers of these cities, with a view to popularizing and promoting OHADA law in China.
During this mission, the Permanent Secretary had a working session with the President of the China Law Society, Mr. Chen Xiping, in the presence of the Vice President Mr. Zhang Mingqi, Director General of the Legal Exchange Center, Mr. Yin Baohu and Mrs. GU Ran, Program Officer.
After the visit of the China Law Society, the Permanent Secretary visited the China Development Bank, where he was received by Mr. Meng Gang, Deputy Director General of Legal Affairs, in the presence of Mrs. Li Min, Director of the International Legal Affairs' second Division in the Department of Legal Affairs, Mrs. Zhao Jiaxing, Deputy Director of the Department of Legal Affairs and Mr. Xu Zelai, Director of Research and Development of the China-Africa Development Fund.
He also visited the China University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing and had a working session with the President of this prestigious University, Prof. Jiaqiong Wang, in the presence of the Law Faculty's Dean, Prof. Jingxia Shi, of the Associate Dean Prof. Hongliu GONG, and Deputy Director of the Department of International Relations, Mrs. Xiaomeng LI. He also paid a visit to the Beijing International Arbitration Center (BIAC), where he met with the Secretary General Dr. Fuyong Chen, who was surrounded for the occasion by his collaborators, Mr. Zhang XI and Mrs. Terence XU.
After the Beijing stop, the Permanent Secretary went to Shanghai, where he was received by Mr. Shi Weidong, Vice President of the China Law Society of Shanghai.
In Shanghai, he also met with officials of the Shangai International Arbitration Center (SHIAC) and the academics of Shanghai. He had an interview with SHIAC representatives, including Mr. Wang Wejun, in the presence of his collaborators. Following the visit of SHIAC, the Permanent Secretary went to East China University of Political Sciences and Law (ECUPL), where he had fruitful discussions with the Dean of the Faculty of International Law, Prof. Xia Fei who was accompanied by Professors Xu Peng and Chen Jinqying.
The Permanent Secretary discussed with these different personalities the prospects for rapprochement and cooperation in areas of common interest. He welcomed the interest aroused by OHADA Law in China following the cooperation agreements signed between the Chinese Society of Legislation (CLS) and OHADA, on the one hand, and in the other the China Development Bank and our common Organization. The Beijing and Shanghai Arbitration Centers as well as several training institutions have shown a sustained interest in establishing a formal cooperation link with OHADA, which augurs for the increasing dissemination and popularization of OHADA law in China especially in the business community.
The various personalities met congratulated OHADA's Permanent Secretary for the work accomplished and the success of the Organization which goes beyond the African borders.
The Permanent Secretary also delivered a speech on the topic of legal cooperation in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative Forum (BRI), on July 3, 2018 in Beijing, where he presented OHADA to more than 350 participants from Africa, America, Asia, Europe made up of government delegates, representatives of regional and international organizations, academics, researchers, students and professionals from the private sector. During this event that aroused great interest the Permanent Secretary highlighted the strengths and opportunities of the OHADA legal system. He added that the legal integration achieved under OHADA is complemented by an original judicial integration. The judicial settlement of business disputes is ensured, in cassation and ultimately, not by the National Supreme Courts, but by the OHADA Common Court of Justice and Arbitration, which ensures the unity of interpretation and application of Uniform texts, so that legislative unification is, in the framework of OHADA, complemented by a unification of jurisprudence.
The Permanent Secretary thanks the various authorities of the People's Republic of China for the warm welcome extended to his delegation, the fruitful exchanges as well as and the projects related to a better knowledge of OHADA in China.
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The Permanent Secretary,
Prof. Dorothé C. SOSSA.
