In this article, the authors explore the presence and participation of foreign arbitration institutions in China. While commendable efforts have been made in recent years, the liberalization and opening up of the Chinese arbitration market is still a work-in-progress. Through this article we will reflect on China’s efforts to loosen state control over alternative dispute resolution mechanisms: from the enactment of the Arbitration Law of the People’s Republic of China in 1994 to Supreme People’s Court’s shifting interpretations as to how Chinese legislation should be applied, including as well the most recent (and certainly most remarkable) changes in the domain of Chinese arbitration.