Anhui's foreign-related legal service center supports enterprises going global

Since its official launch on July 28, the Anhui (Hefei) Foreign-Related Legal Service Center has gathered a group of high-level foreign-related legal professionals to better serve the overseas business needs of enterprises. This high-end legal think tank has become a key support for local companies expanding abroad and for international enterprises investing in Anhui.

According to Yin Bangding, chairman of the Anhui Provincial Lawyers Association, the province currently faces issues in foreign-related legal services, such as fragmented resources, a shortage of professional talents, and insufficient service capacity, making it difficult to meet the increasing market demand. Therefore, the establishment of the Anhui (Hefei) Foreign-Related Legal Service Center is not only a vital step to support the country's opening-up strategy but also a practical solution to the legal challenges enterprises encounter when going global, he said, adding that it helps bridge the gap between the supply and demand for foreign-related legal services, and addresses the province's unmet legal service needs.

Jointly supported by both Anhui province and Hefei city, the center has integrated various legal service resources, covering foreign-related legal consultation, lawyer services, notarization, international commercial arbitration, and commercial mediation, into the Hefei Legal Services District. The center features multiple functional areas, including a comprehensive service area for foreign-related lawyers, a specialized arbitration area, an extended service area, an area for foreign-related legal training and exchanges, and a legal publicity experience area. Together, these create a one-stop platform for foreign-related legal services for enterprises and citizens.

In addition, the center has integrated online and offline resources to offer full-process and closed-loop legal services for cross-border investments, covering the entire case handling process including consulting, acceptance, handling and closing.

According to Zhang Guo'an, deputy director of the Justice Department of Anhui, the center prioritizes serving enterprises while also meeting the legal needs of Chinese individuals traveling abroad and foreigners in China. The center's initial team comprises 31 leading foreign-related lawyers, 86 high-caliber foreign-related lawyers, 48 notary agencies qualified for foreign-related notarization, 247 foreign-related notaries, 16 arbitration institutions, and 221 arbitrators proficient in resolving foreign-related disputes. This diverse team effectively meets the legal service demands of market entities expanding globally and of individuals, Zhang noted.

To further enhance its functions, the center has established a talent incubation base for foreign-related legal professionals, helping to train and recruit experts in the field. It also serves as an open, cooperative and win-win platform for research, discussion, and exchanges in foreign-related legal affairs.

Furthermore, the center facilitates cooperation and exchange between domestic and international legal service providers, and connects institutions and professionals both domestically and internationally while offering a collaborative platform for Chinese and foreign enterprises, individuals, and legal service institutions. It also conducts overseas legal outreach to showcase Anhui's progress in advancing foreign-related rule of law.

The center has formed a legal publicity team comprising lawyers, arbitrators, and notaries to deliver lectures in enterprises and industrial parks. These lectures focus on publicizing policies for the protection of the rights of small and medium-sized enterprises and introducing the province's high-quality ‌foreign-related legal service resources‌ and ‌service models, thereby raising enterprises' awareness of these policies and services.

To ensure efficient and standardized operation, the center has established a comprehensive workflow mechanism covering demand matching, service supply, acceptance, response, quality supervision, information sharing and collaboration, and training and exchange. It adopts an approved list system for foreign-related lawyers and a "list-based" supply model, creating a roster of foreign-related lawyers categorized by country, language, and specialty. The center also offers service checklists in areas such as international trade, cross-border investment and financing, international intellectual property, cross-border marriage and family affairs, cross-border e-commerce, and cross-border dispute resolution.

"The establishment of the Anhui (Hefei) Foreign-Related Legal Service Center holds great significance," said Luo Jianhua, director of the Justice Department of Anhui. He added that the center will firmly adhere to the primary goal of high-quality development, benchmark against top-tier legal service platforms, pool wisdom from all sides, and build a legal "escort" system to safeguard the entire lifecycle of cross-border investments.

According to Luo, the center will establish and improve commercial dispute resolution mechanisms aligned with international standards, and actively explore efficient service models that integrate online and offline as well as domestic and international resources, aiming to build a key foreign-related legal hub in the Yangtze River Delta and Central China —recognized for Hefei's uniqueness, Anhui's local strengths, and nationwide influence.