Shaanxi strengthens talent cultivation to advance foreign-related rule of law

In recent years, the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Justice has adopted a holistic approach that integrates top-level design, university-institution collaboration, and hands-on practice to cultivate foreign-related legal professionals with firm political stances, sound legal proficiency and knowledge of international rules, and expertise in foreign-related legal practice. By prioritizing the cultivation of such talents to promote law-based governance in the province, Shaanxi has accelerated the development of robust talent support, aiming to establish itself as a hub for reform and opening-up in inland regions and to integrate more deeply into the overall framework of Belt and Road cooperation. 

Establishing a comprehensive framework to strengthen talent cultivation

Since the establishment of the Foreign-Related Legal Affairs Office by the province's Justice Department a year ago, Shaanxi has made continuous progress in developing its foreign-related legal system and capacity. Through coordinated efforts by the province's Justice Department, Shaanxi has enhanced the efficiency and precision of foreign-related legal services and expanded its workforce, leading to new progress in the province's foreign-related rule of law.

The development of high-caliber foreign-related legal professionals is crucial for the development of the province's foreign-related rule of law. To this end, Shaanxi has built a comprehensive talent cultivation system centered on institutional development, platform construction, and talent pool expansion.

The province has established a "reservoir" of foreign-related legal professionals. The Office of the Commission for Overall Law-based Governance of the Communist Party of China Shaanxi Provincial Committee has formed a 52-member talent pool spanning legislation, judicial administration, legal services by lawyers, and notarization.

Additionally, the provincial lawyers' association has established a 273-member talent pool of leading lawyers specializing in foreign-related legal services, among whom 28 were selected for the Ministry of Justice's "Thousand Talents Plan" and 23 were included in the national lawyers' association talent pool. Shaanxi currently has 165 notaries qualified to provide foreign-related legal services, accounting for 27.5 percent of the total number of notaries.

Moreover, the Xi'an Arbitration Commission (XAAC) has recruited 137 professionals from China's Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan, as well as foreign countries as arbitrators, all of whom possess expertise in international law, economy, and trade.

From thematic training programs on advancing law-based governance to the "Leading Plan" program for legal service talents, and from specialized notarization training to international arbitration simulations, Shaanxi has strengthened the comprehensive capabilities of its foreign-related legal professionals through diverse and targeted training initiatives.

Collaborating with universities to maximize talent cultivation potential

To better align with the country's need for promoting foreign-related rule of law, and to nurture a high-caliber legal professional team, Shaanxi has leveraged the resources of law schools at 17 universities and three key disciplines in international law to promote collaboration between academia and practice.

The Northwest University of Political Science and Law (NWUPL) has launched an experimental class dedicated to cultivating foreign-related legal talents, with enrollment available to students nationwide. The university collaborates with partner institutions to select, recommend, and sponsor students for master's programs at universities in Belt and Road participant countries, fostering integration between industry and education and enhancing collaborative talent cultivation. Xi'an Jiaotong University has partnered with the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission and the XAAC to offer a master's program in international arbitration, cultivating versatile professionals who are well-versed in legal rules and practice-oriented skills.

Beyond universities, arbitration institutions have become another key platform for cultivating foreign-related legal talents. The XAAC and the NWUPL have jointly hosted the "XXAC Cup" International Commercial Arbitration Moot, attracting more than 400 participating teams and 80,000 spectators from around the world.

Leveraging talent support for enterprises' overseas expansion

As the province's foreign-related legal talent pool continues to grow, Shaanxi's foreign-related legal service capabilities have improved significantly, providing strong legal support for enterprises expanding overseas.

"We have established a liaison mechanism for foreign-related legal service with the Shaanxi Sub-Council of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and have coordinated legal resources across the province by engaging legal service institutions qualified for foreign-related legal services to assist export-oriented enterprises. This helps enterprises better understand international dispute resolution rules and improve their management systems," said an official from the Justice Department of Shaanxi.

Through a lawyer-enterprise pairing mechanism, Shaanxi has organized foreign-related lawyers and arbitrators to visit key enterprises, offering services such as compliance reviews and risk warnings. The province has conducted more than 2,000 activities related to foreign-related legal services and legal publicity, serving over 100,000 market entities and handling 29,000 enterprise-related cases involving a total value of 53.6 billion yuan ($7.51 billion).

In 2023, the XAAC issued bilingual arbitration rules incorporating 22 international practices, including ad hoc arbitration and third-party funding. In 2024, it introduced early dismissal rulings, further strengthening legal support for the opening-up of the Shaanxi Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Shaanxi's efforts in cultivating foreign-related legal professionals have yielded significant results in areas such as top-level design, targeted university-institution collaboration, and support for enterprises' overseas expansion. With a more open vision and innovative mechanisms, the province's judicial administrative system is committed to cultivating more such professionals so as to contribute to the advancement of foreign-related rule of law in Shaanxi and across the country.