Chinese chambers of commerce are encouraged to set up mediation committees and hire mediators to settle business disputes in non-public sectors outwith judicial proceedings.
The All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) and Ministry of Justice have jointly issued a document to promote mediation of disputes by chambers of commerce, said an ACFIC press release Tuesday.
The document suggests that mediation committees be established by chambers of commerce to settle civil disputes raised by chamber members.
The policy is aimed at better serving about 25 million private firms and more than 60 million self-employed people across China, the statement said.
The mediation committees will help solve disputes between chamber members, or disputes between employers and employees, or between chamber members and other work units or people, the ACFIC said.
Mediators can be full-time or part-time and should be selected from prominent business owners, legal consultants, trade union representatives and academics, among others.
China has a "people's mediation" method to resolve civil and commercial disputes outside judicial proceedings. People's mediation committees are found in villages and towns, some enterprises and public institutions.
