The inaugural ceremony for China's first commercial mediation association – the Shenzhen Commercial Mediation Association (SCMA) – was recently held in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province.

Jointly launched by the Benchmark Chambers International & Benchmark International Mediation Center and eight other local trade associations, the SCMA now has 57 corporate and individual members.

The association's major work includes developing rules for the commercial mediation industry and mediators' work ethics, establishing a commercial mediator management system, promoting market-oriented development of commercial mediation, improving the connection between commercial mediation, litigation and arbitration, building a certification system for commercial mediators, and establishing a market access system for commercial mediators that complies with international standards.