2026 China-Italy Investment Risk Prevention and International Arbitration Seminar Successfully Held in Shanghai

On September 23, 2026, coinciding with the 2026 China Arbitration Week and the 70th anniversary of CIETAC, the “2026 China-Italy Seminar on Investment Risk Prevention and International Arbitration” was successfully held at Tongji University. Co-hosted by the CIETAC Shanghai Sub-Commission, the Law School of Tongji University, D’Andrea & Partners Legal Counsel, and co-organized by the EUCCC, the seminar brought together experts from the legal, arbitration, academic, and business communities of both countries.

Before the seminar, Mr. Lü Peiming, Executive Vice President of Tongji University, met with Ms. Tiziana D’Angelo, Consul General of Italy in Shanghai, to exchange views on Tongji University’s China-Italy cooperation projects, adding special significance to the event. Mr. Lü Peiming, Consul General Tiziana D’Angelo, Vice President Carlo D’Andrea, Dean Jiang Huiling, and Mr. Matteo Zhi also held a separate small-group meeting to exchange views on China-Italy legal education cooperation and cross-border investment legal services.

The seminar kicked off with opening addresses. Mr. Long Chuanhong, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of CIETAC, welcomed all guests on behalf of CIETAC. He noted that 2026 marks a new stage for the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership and CIETAC’s 70th anniversary, making risk prevention and dispute resolution particularly important. CIETAC remains committed to providing efficient dispute resolution services for Chinese and foreign enterprises.

Mr. Jiang Huiling, Dean, Distinguished Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor of the Law School of Tongji University, welcomed the guests and expressed gratitude to the co-organizers. He emphasized that opportunities and challenges coexist in China-Italy cooperation, and cross-border investment governance must move its focus forward to full-cycle compliance and risk control. He looked forward to using this seminar as a new starting point to promote a long-term exchange mechanism for Chinese and Italian legal practitioners in Shanghai.

Mr. Carlo D’Andrea, Vice President of the EUCCC and Chairman of the Shanghai Board, CIETAC Arbitrator, shared his personal experience of coming to China over twenty years ago for what was supposed to be six months. He pointed out that cross-border investment requires not just knowing the rules, but knowing how they are implemented. He emphasized that arbitration should be part of a company’s cross-border investment risk management from the very beginning.

Ms. Tiziana D’Angelo, Consul General of the Republic of Italy in Shanghai, thanked the organizers for this valuable exchange opportunity and noted the special significance of holding the event at Tongji University. She emphasized that a clear and stable regulatory framework is a crucial foundation, and the Consulate General will continue to serve as a pragmatic partner for enterprises of both countries.

During the keynote sessions, speakers shared cutting-edge practical insights. Professor Fei Anling from CUPL, CIETAC Arbitrator, and Chief Researcher at the China-Italy Judicial Research Center of Tongji University, delivered a speech on the new patterns of China-Italy trade and investment and cross-border dispute resolution. She compared China’s 2025 Arbitration Law revision with Italy’s 2022 arbitration reform, emphasizing the need to hedge political uncertainty with regulatory certainty and proposing that risk prevention should be the primary institutional consideration.

Mr. Huang Yu, President of Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Shanghai, analyzed the capital channeling and financial compliance issues faced by Chinese enterprises investing in Italy. He emphasized that enterprises should work closely with professional financial institutions and legal advisors to establish a comprehensive capital management and risk prevention system.

Ms. Sara Forni, Arbitration Case Manager of the Milan Arbitration Chamber (CAM), introduced the Chamber’s extensive practice in international commercial arbitration. She stated that with deepening China-Italy economic exchanges, the Chamber looks forward to further strengthening cooperation with CIETAC and other Chinese arbitration institutions.

Ms. Lian Junya, Associate Professor at the School of Law, Tongji University, and Director of the International Law Teaching and Research Division, proposed shifting from “dispute relief” to “investment governance.” Through the framework of “Investment → Regulation → Treaty → Evidence,” she explained that enterprises should use arbitration thinking as a front-loaded method for investment decision-making, compliance governance, and evidence management.

Mr. Matteo Zhi, Equity Partner at D’Andrea & Partners, systematically outlined eight legal risk dimensions for Chinese investors and focused on Italy’s “Golden Power” regime and the Pirelli case. He emphasized that legal architecture should serve the business model, and that legal risk management should be treated as ongoing work rather than one-off due diligence.

Moderated by Mr. Aris Xie, Partner at D’Andrea & Partners, the roundtable discussion focused on “Exchange of Chinese and Western Legal Civilizations – Building an Ecosystem for Cross-border Investment Dispute Resolution.” Five panelists from arbitration institutions, corporate legal departments, financial institutions, and cross-border dispute resolution law firms – Ms. Zhao Shuang, Deputy Secretary-General of the CIETAC Shanghai Sub-Commission; Ms. Pan Ting, Director of Dispute Resolution at a well-known technology group; Ms. Wang Shengzhe, Head of Legal for China of Crédit Agricole Group and Vice Chair of the EUCCC Legal and Competition Working Group; Mr. Zhou Qing, CIETAC Arbitrator; and Mr. Zhou Hangcheng, Attorney at Kobre & Kim – explored three core topics: the “front-end design” of arbitration clauses, the “mid-stage response” during arbitration proceedings, and the “back-end enforcement” of cross-border awards.

Guests agreed that while Chinese and Western legal civilizations have their own characteristics, increasing consensus and cooperation mechanisms are emerging in the field of dispute resolution. Building an ecosystem that integrates Chinese and Western legal wisdom and balances efficiency and fairness is of great significance for safeguarding the steady and sustained development of China-Italy two-way investment.

During the tea break, guests engaged in relaxed and pleasant exchanges, further discussing the speech content and enjoying carefully prepared refreshments. The atmosphere was lively, and guests expressed that the tea break provided a valuable opportunity for free exchange, helping to deepen mutual understanding and expand cooperation networks.

Finally, the seminar came to a successful conclusion. We thank the CIETAC Shanghai Sub-Commission, the Law School of Tongji University, and the EUCCC for their strong support, and thank all guests for their excellent sharing and all participants for their active engagement. It is hoped that cooperation between China and Italy in the fields of law and arbitration will continue to deepen, jointly writing a new chapter in China-Italy economic and trade cooperation.