YES # Compositional parallel critical pair system (Shintani and Hirokawa 2022). Consider the left-linear TRS R: f(x) -> g(k(x)) f(x) -> a() g(x) -> a() k(a()) -> k(k(a())) Let C be the following subset of R: (empty) The parallel critical pair system PCPS(R,C) is: f(y1) -> a() f(y1) -> g(k(y1)) All pairs in PCP(R) are joinable and PCPS(R,C)/R is terminating. Therefore, the confluence of R follows from that of C. # emptiness The empty TRS is confluent.