Franki Cheung appointed to the Panel of Arbitrators of the Qingdao Arbitration Commission 9 May 2007 Franki Cheung, Head of Deacons’ China Practice Group, has been appointed to the Panel of Arbitrators of the Qingdao Arbitration Commission. This is an important appointment for the firm's PRC arbitration practice. The Qingdao Arbitration Commission was established by the People's Government of Qingdao Municipality, Shandong Province in April 1996 pursuant to the Arbitration Law of the PRC and provides a non-litigation platform to both domestic and foreign parties for resolving contractual disputes in a fair, expeditious, confidential and cost effective manner. Currently, the Commission has 11 district arbitration centres and one international commercial mediation centre in Qingdao. The Commission is recognised as one of the leading arbitration commissions in the PRC nationwide and the best arbitration commission in Shandong Province. It is also named as the "Role Model Civil Service Unit" of the judiciary of Shandong Province. In addition to this Commission appointment, Franki Cheung is also on the Panel of Arbitrators of (i) the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission ("CIETAC") headquartered in Beijing with sub-commissions in Shanghai and Shenzhen, (ii) the Wuhan Arbitration Commission and (iii) the Guangzhou Arbitration Commission and has been nominated as arbitrator by all of these commissions to hear cases of commercial disputes between domestic and foreign parties.