HARBIN, Oct. 28(Xinhuanet)-- The commercial arbitration associations of seven northeast Asian countries signed a declaration on strengthening international commercial arbitration cooperation here Friday.

The International Commercial Arbitration Conference, sponsored by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Committee, invited interceders from China, Russia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kazakstan and Kirghizia to introduce the arbitration practices in their respective countries.

At Friday's meeting, experts discussed the latest developments of international commercial arbitration in the jurisdictions being represented and exchanged views on administering arbitration procedures at each institution.

The member countries of the declaration are obliged to recommend to business entities in their own country to resolve disputes through arbitration.

Song Yaowu, president of the International Economic and Trade Institution of Harbin Industrial University, said that closer economic integration in the northeast Asian region has increased cross-border cooperation in energy exploration and trade exchanges as well as trade conflicts. The cooperation mechanism is conducive to resolving the issues concerned.

Wang Shengzhang, deputy director of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Committee, said that China has 185 arbitration committees providing consultations nationwide. More and more Chinese companies have accepted arbitration as an effective way to reduce risks in international trade. Enditem