Legal Daily:

High-level opening up requires high-level legal services. Could you please elaborate on the measures the MOJ has taken to fully leverage the role of lawyers in foreign-related legal services and the achievements that have been made? Thank you.

Wang Zhenjiang:

This falls under public legal services. I would like to invite Mr. Yang to answer your question.

Yang Xiangbin:

Thank you for your question. As you mentioned, high-level opening up cannot be achieved without high-level legal services. Promoting high-quality, high-level legal services has been a key part of our foreign-related rule of law efforts in recent years. The MOJ has actively developed foreign-related legal services, especially those provided by lawyers, who are crucial to our legal service system. We've strived to support high-level opening up through high-quality foreign-related legal services. Our measures have been robust, and the results are quite evident. This is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

First, we're actively cultivating world-class law firms. We are supporting and guiding a group of strong foreign-related law firms to accelerate their entry into the ranks of top international firms. Working with relevant departments, we've improved policy support measures to encourage Chinese lawyers to "go global." Compared to 2018, the number of overseas branches of Chinese law firms has increased by 69.67%. These firms play a positive role in strengthening the legal security chain that protects China's overseas interests.

Second, we're continuously strengthening the cultivation of foreign-related legal talent. The MOJ has organized three advanced training sessions for foreign-related legal talent and 10 training sessions on foreign-related legal services for public and corporate lawyers. We've guided the All-China Lawyers Association in holding foreign-related legal service training sessions for lawyers, training more than 1,400 lawyers in total. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, we've implemented a master's degree program in foreign-related law, with a cumulative enrollment of nearly 1,500 students.

Third, we emphasize the role of Hong Kong and Macao lawyers in foreign-related legal services. The MOJ has led the establishment of a consultation mechanism for legal services in the Greater Bay Area, promoting talent cultivation and exchange among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. We've actively promoted the pilot program for lawyers practicing in the Greater Bay Area, organizing the first qualification examination for lawyers in the region this year after extending the pilot period. So far, the MOJ has successfully held four exams, with over 1,800 Hong Kong and Macao lawyers participating and 482 obtaining Greater Bay Area lawyer practice certificates. The pilot program has brought experienced Hong Kong and Macao lawyers with rich cross-border legal service expertise into mainland legal teams, significantly enhancing the capabilities and levels of foreign-related legal and lawyer services. It has played a positive role in ensuring high-quality development and high-level opening up. Thank you.