A standard clause to be inserted in a commercial agreement to give the parties the opportunity to resolve any disputes through less formal dispute resolution procedures, including negotiation and mediation, either before or in parallel to court or arbitration proceedings. It is an alternative to Standard Clause, Mediation: China and Standard Clause, Mediation and Med-Arb (No Foreign Element): China, which provide for the settlement of disputes through formal mediation. Guidance is provided on using the clause under the laws of China, Hong Kong, and England and Wales.

This clause is adapted from a boilerplate clause designed for use in documents governed by English law, which can be found at Standard Clause, Multi-tiered dispute resolution procedure.

This standard clause is available in Chinese. To download a Word version of this standard document in Chinese, click Standard Clause, Multi-Tiered Dispute Resolution Procedure: China (Chinese Language Version).