The recent Singapore Convention Week 2026 examined questions such as how trust, the rule of law and effective dispute resolution can be sustained in an increasingly complex global environment. Against this backdrop, mediation featured as one of the mechanisms through which parties can manage disputes while preserving commercial relationships and finding practical ways forward.

In a Lianhe Zaobao article, our Joint Managing Partner Thio Shen Yi, SC shared his perspective on how geopolitical developments are increasingly affecting cross-border contracts and disputes. He noted that these developments can have cascading effects on commercial relationships, and that any factor shaping a dispute can also influence a company’s choice of dispute resolution mechanism, including whether to mediate. Mediation can be introduced at different stages of a dispute, giving parties an opportunity to reassess their interests and explore possible areas of settlement before a final determination is reached.

This broader theme was echoed by other speakers and practitioners interviewed by the publication. Minister for Law Edwin Tong highlighted mediation’s ability to help parties find common ground and preserve relationships, while complementing rather than replacing litigation or arbitration. Other commentators pointed to the commercial relationships that can be lost even when a party succeeds in arbitration, the growing complexity of cross-border disputes — including sanctions risk, counterparty solvency and parallel proceedings — and the role mediation can play in creating space for parties to find common ground within the boundaries set by law.

Read the article here.