Xinjiang promotes foreign-related legal services to support enterprises going global

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region's Department of Justice has been enhancing the region's foreign-related legal capabilities to support the development of the core area of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Key platforms such as the Urumqi Silk Road Economic Belt Legal Service District, the Khorgos Yilu International Legal Zone, and the Kashgar "Legal Intelligence Valley" Foreign-Related Legal Services Big Data Platform have become vital in advancing foreign-related legal services in Xinjiang, supporting enterprises’ overseas expansion with stability and sustainability.

The Urumqi Silk Road Economic Belt Legal Service District, inaugurated on Nov 17, 2024, provides legal services in six major areas: commercial dispute resolution, arbitration, circuit trials, cross-jurisdictional case filing, foreign law ascertainment, and prosecution. A team that has been assembled comprises 47 foreign-related lawyers, 40 experts in judicial appraisal and notarization, and 42 foreign-related arbitrators, and provides specialized services to enterprises engaged in international trade, investment, and mergers and acquisitions.

In August 2024, the Khorgos Yilu International Legal Zone was established within the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone, attracting four arbitration institutions, one international mediation organization, two renowned domestic foreign-related law firms, and five foreign investment and trade intermediary service agencies. Since its inception, the legal zone has handled 673 foreign-related notary cases and mediated 142 foreign-related commercial disputes.

Moreover, the Justice Department of Xinjiang has also implemented practical measures to invigorate areas such as the diversified resolution of cross-border disputes, legal exchanges, and the cultivation of foreign-related legal talents.

On July 1, 2024, the Kashgar "Legal Intelligence Valley" Foreign-Related Legal Services Big Data Platform was officially launched in the Kashgar Area of the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone. The platform, with Kashgar's legal resources showcased in Chinese, English, and Russian, features functions such as legal inquiries, legal services, and smart legal affairs. It brings together legal service institutions to provide services such as legal consultation, lawyer representation, international arbitration, and foreign-related legal exchanges.

In addition, the Kashgar "Legal Intelligence Valley" also provides offline legal services. These services include a procuratorial service center, circuit courts, administrative reconsideration offices, agencies for foreign-related notary and Russian translation services, evaluation and accounting audit firms, the Kashgar branch of Beijing Lantai Law Firm, and the Central Asia Legal Ascertainment (Research) Center. This platform has released over 700,000 legal data entries related to countries such as Russia, India, and Pakistan. It has attracted 51 law firms in Kashgar, two notary offices qualified for foreign-related notarization, two judicial appraisal institutions, one arbitration institution, and more than 100 registered enterprises.

In its efforts to deepen cross-regional exchanges, Xinjiang has established a network for overseas-related legal services. In 2024, the justice department introduced several foreign-related legal service institutions such as the Central Asia Trial Center of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, representative offices of foreign law firms, the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Legal Service Committee Urumqi Center and joint-venture law firms from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

These initiatives have supported the region in building a modern legal service core zone with clear professional divisions, scientific business combinations, and strong influence in Northwest China and Central Asia.

Furthermore, Xinjiang made significant strides in cultivating foreign-related legal talents through multi-level collaboration. In 2024, Xinjiang Justice Department co-established national-level cooperative innovation bases for cultivating foreign-related legal talents with universities, and guided the Xinjiang Lawyers Association to sign an exchange agreement with the Law Society of Hong Kong to promote mutual exchanges.

Moreover, the justice department organized three training sessions for foreign-related legal professionals and hosted the first exchange meeting of the Silk Road Economic Belt Legal Service District on opportunities and risk management for Chinese enterprises expanding into global markets.

Currently, Xinjiang has established a comprehensive foreign-related legal service framework, which is centered on the Silk Road Economic Belt Legal Services District, and supported by the One-Stop Dispute Resolution Center in the Urumqi International Land Port Area, the "Legal Intelligence Valley" in Kashgar, and the Khorgos Yilu International Legal Zone. These institutions work collaboratively to foster a foreign-related legal service system with distinctive features, complementary functions, and collaborative innovation.