Beijing continuously enhances foreign-related legal service system

Beijing has made continuous efforts to enhance the allocation of legal service resources in sectors such as arbitration, notary services, and the legal profession, and to build a comprehensive, and professional ecosystem for foreign-related legal services, contributing to the building of a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized, according to an official from the Beijing Municipal Justice Bureau.

The 2025 International Arbitration Survey has ranked Beijing fourth globally among the world's most preferred arbitration locations for the first time, marking a significant achievement for the city.

Since its establishment, the Beijing Arbitration Commission has formulated or revised 11 versions of its arbitration rules. By the end of 2024, the commission had handled international arbitration cases with a total value exceeding 83 billion yuan ($11.6 billion), involving parties from 72 countries and regions, including 46 countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

"Notarization is widely recognized internationally as evidence and serves as a legal 'passport' in international economic and trade cooperation," said Yang Yuhao, deputy director of the Notarization Commission at Beijing's justice bureau. Over the past three years, Beijing's notarization industry has handled 692,000 foreign-related notarization matters and issued notary certificates sent to over 180 countries and regions, covering more than 90 percent of BRI countries.

In recent years, Beijing has continuously innovated its foreign-related legal service models and improved its modern public legal service system, making law-based governance as an international hallmark of the city.

To safeguard Chinese enterprises going global against major legal risks, the Beijing Lawyers Association has compiled analytical reports on the legal environment for overseas investments in BRI countries. The reports focus on countries commonly targeted by Chinese enterprises' overseas investments, providing them early warnings and assessments.

"In my 26 years of practice assisting businesses in their international ventures, I have witnessed the steady progress of Chinese enterprises moving up the value chain－from agricultural products to primary industrial goods, and now to complex industrial goods," said a senior partner of a Beijing-based law firm. Today, the legal services offered by the law firm increasingly support enterprises expanding into the BRI countries.

Focusing on the practical needs of Chinese enterprises going global, Beijing's legal profession has continuously enhanced its foreign-related legal service capabilities. So far, 41 law firms in the city have established 362 overseas offices in 97 countries and regions, including 33 BRI countries.

Moreover, Beijing has now developed a team of foreign-related legal professionals, including lawyers, arbitrators, and notaries. The city has over 5,000 foreign-related lawyers, with 345 joining various international organizations and 82 holding positions, including former and current roles. In the notary sector, Beijing has 327 notaries qualified for foreign-related legal services, accounting for 74.6 percent of the total number of notaries.

"Strengthening the cultivation of foreign-related legal professionals provides solid legal support for Beijing's efforts in building a new development pattern," said Yin Hongwei, director of the Personnel and Police Affairs Commission at Beijing's justice bureau. The city will continue to optimize service guarantees and cultivate a world-class talent ecosystem, facilitating the city's transition from a hub for foreign-related talents to a powerhouse in this field, according to Yin.