The Maritime Silk Road Foreign Law Ascertainment Common Rules, drafted by the Xiamen Maritime Silk Road Foreign Law Ascertainment Center, has taken effect in September.
It is China's first set of international common rules for cross-jurisdictional legal ascertainment, developed by a legal ascertainment institution and open for application along the Maritime Silk Road routes.
The rules consist of five chapters and 25 articles, covering the entire process of foreign law ascertainment — from commissioning and implementation to the delivery of final reports. They include supporting documents, including model clauses, application forms, and service agreements to make the process easier to navigate.
The rules apply in both directions: they can be used by Chinese parties seeking to ascertain foreign law, as well as by overseas parties seeking to ascertain Chinese law.
A key feature of the rules is the "enforceability review" clause. For reports intended for use abroad, all formal requirements — language, translator credentials, and notarization — must be spelled out upfront, so cross-border obstacles are addressed early.
On AI, the rules say it can assist with research and translation drafts, but results must be reviewed by human experts. AI cannot replace expert judgment, and sensitive data cannot be fed into unvetted public AI platforms.