Lawyers have welcomed a move by Shanghai to introduce new rules on arbitration which mirror international legal practice. The changes come in the aftermath of the Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission's (SHIAC) split from China's main arbitration body. The latest reforms modernise and liberate Shanghai's approach to dispute resolution, including allowing arbitrators to be appointed from outside the officially designated group of experts and making mediation available for small claims. However, whilst the reforms are welcomed by international business, questions remain as to whether China will overrule SHIAC. Source: The Economist