On 31 August 2012, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed amendments to the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (the Amended Law), which entered into force on 1 January 2013. The Amended Law strengthens the Chinese arbitration regime in two important respects: narrowing the statutory grounds upon which PRC courts can refuse enforcement of domestic arbitration awards, and allowing parties to arbitration proceedings to apply to the PRC courts for interim measures before the commencement of those arbitration proceedings.