Legal Affairs Division

Supported by the Beijing Municipal government and directly under the jurisdiction of the Beijing WTO Affairs Center, this division provides consultancy services on legal and economic issues.

Working Content:

- To research on specific topics for Chinese and Beijing governments and consult on legislation in the fields of trade and investment;

- To provide private enterprises and public institutions with legal consultancy on WTO regulations and China's legislation, including specifications on anti-dumping in and outside of China, trade protection measures, special protection measures, particular restrictive measures on textile products, Chinese government policies on foreign investment and foreign trade related civil and business laws.

Service targets:

Private enterprises and public institutions engaged in international business and trade, concerned government units of various levels.

Expertise and experiences:

Three certified lawyers holding doctorial or master's degree from Chinese or overseas universities，with deep understanding on WTO regulations. All staff in the division have either worked in well-known law firms, legal division of the China Trade Promotion Association and other institutions. Their legal practice span over legal fields from anti-dumping, foreign investment and international trade, while research work covers Company Law, Intellectual Property Law, WTO Affairs, International Commercial Law and Securities Law.

Exchanges and Cooperation Partners：

•  Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China

•  Beijing Commercial Enterprises Legal Consultant Association

•  Columbia Business School, University of Columbia, NY, USA

•  The American Embassy in China

•  Studio Legale Amatucci e Associati in Italy

Cooperative Media:

Magazine Economic & Trade Update，WTO Information Express weekly

Major Projects Carried Out:

1. To provide consultancy on and issue legal opinions on issues related to company asset operation and management, Chinese national environment eco-agriculture (ecological agriculture) protection, transaction for right of land use, and company mergers and acquisitions for an ecological resort in Beijing in 2004.

•  In the second half of 2004, to research on the topics of Warning System for Foreign Trade and of Beijing's Responding Measures during Post-WTO-Accession Period. Proposal was made as a result for implementation.

•  In October 2004, to advise on matters related to the American Special Protection Measures and Restrictive Measures for Textile Products for a textile exporting company.

•  In August 2004, to undertake the research project, entrusted by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce, on the Impacts on and Responding Strategies for the Exporting and Trade Sectors in Beijing toward Technical Trade Barriers by Foreign Countries. Suggestions for implementing responding steps were submitted as well.

•  In January 2004, to offer a legal opinion on the draft of the Foreign Trade Law of the PRC, and 75% of the opinion was adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for the final version of the law.

•  In 2003, to undertake the task from Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce of building the “Beijing Municipal Warning System for Foreign Trade”, through gathering and analyzing qualitatively and quantitatively significant economic data on some key products and sectors in Beijing and information on relevant legal practices overseas. To carry on step by step in a planned way the work of warning to serve private enterprises and public institutes.

•  In September and October 2003, to offer legal opinions to the Beijing Taiwan Affairs Office on law making to support more favorable investment policies for Taiwanese business investor, while being in line with WTO regulations.

•  In September 2003, to investigate, consult and offer legal opinions for a French company an alleged case of trademark infringement.

•  From the end of 2002 to March 2003, working together with then Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and Beijing Municipal Committee for Foreign Economic and Trade, to provide legal advice to the textile industry in Beijing on legal and trade impacts caused by the American Section 332 Investigation.

•  From 2001 to 2002, entrusted by the Beijing municipal government, to study and offer legal advice on whether all the standardized legal documents drafted or issued by government units at various levels contracted WTO regulations.

For further information, please contact:

Contact person: Miss Xu Li

Telephone: 010-65920870

Facsimile: 010-65920870

Address: Legal Division, Beijing WTO Affairs Center, 41 Maizidianjie, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Zip Code: 100026

Email: law@bjwto.gov.cn

Website: www.bjwto.gov.cn