China Justice Observer

中司观察

EnglishArabicChinese (Simplified)DutchFrenchGermanHindiItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishSwedishHebrewIndonesianVietnameseThaiTurkishMalay

China Officially Applies to Join DEPA

Tue, 07 Dec 2021
Categories: China Legal Trends

In November 2021, China officially filed the request to join DEPA. This would help China to further cooperate with DEPA members in digital trade.

On 1 Nov. 2021, the Chinese Minister of Commerce formally applied to New Zealand, the depositary of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), to join the DEPA.

The DEPA is an agreement signed by Singapore, Chile, and New Zealand through an online virtual signature on 12 June 2020 that entered into force on 7 Jan. 2021.

The agreement is the first of its kind.

The DEPA aims to facilitate seamless end-to-end digital trade, enable trusted data flows and build trust in digital systems.

 

 

Cover Photo by Jonas Lee on Unsplash

Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team

Save as PDF

You might also like

PRC Double Interest neither Double nor Penal, Australian Courts Clear Its Name When Enforcing Chinese Judgments

Recent Australian case law clarifies that the “double interest” mechanism in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) monetary judgments functions as a compensatory post-judgment interest framework rather than an unenforceable penalty. This consolidates Australia’s position as a highly attractive and creditor-friendly forum for enforcing Chinese judgments. See Zhengzhou Lvdu Real Estate Group Co v Shu [2024] NSWSC 58 (6 February 2024), Fu v Pang [2025] VSC 597 (16 September 2025)

IOMed Settles First Case, Resolving China-Singapore Maritime Dispute

The newly established International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) has successfully resolved its inaugural case—a maritime charter dispute between Chinese and Singaporean parties—marking a major milestone for the world’s first government-backed global mediation body.

China Overhauls Arbitration Law for Global Alignment

Having entered into force on March 1, 2026, China’s first comprehensive revision of its 1995 Arbitration Law has introduced ad hoc arbitration, strengthened interim relief, and aligned the legal framework more closely with international standards.