(Brussels, BELGIUM)—January 12, 2023—Grandall Lawyers and the Association for Chinese Lawyers in Europe (ACLE) successfully convened the first China-Europe Exchange on Economic Collaboration and Development Legal Services Conference on December 15, 2022, in Brussels, Belgium. Approximately 30 thought leaders, executives, investors and legal experts gathered to discuss legal issues related to cross-border investment, data protection and compliance, financial partnerships and regulations, and the latest developments in dispute resolution in China and Europe. Their aim is to promote China-EU cooperation and development through legal services.

In opening remarks, Ambassador Gang PENG, China's envoy to the EU, highlighted the historical ties between Chinese and European economics and spoke to the tremendous potential for cross-border investments. Mr. Hongbing LV, Chief Executive Partner of Grandall, extended a warm welcome to all the guests on behalf of Grandall lawyers, and stressed the importance of the event for promoting the economic cooperation between China and EU. ECIJA/Grandall (Madrid) partner Raquel Garcia-Argudo Mendes, in her keynote address, laid out projections for trade and investment collaboration between China and the Europe. Other speakers included Mr. Feng ZHAO (Deputy Chief Representative of CCPIT Representative Office in the EU), and Ms. Qun GU (President of ACLE). Mr. Kevin QIAN (General Counsel of Grandall International Development and Foreign Affairs and Partner of Grandall Shanghai Office) presided dynamically the whole forum.

The exchange was conducted entirely in English and broadcast live online. Some 1800 people attended, either in person or online.

Two parallel sessions comprised the bulk of the conference. 

The first parallel session, on International Investments and Dispute Resolution, was co-chaired by Ms. Qun GU and Mr. Xianyue BAI (Managing Partner of Grandall Tianjin office). Mr. Dongkui FANG (Secretary General of China Chamber of Commerce to the EU) and Mr. Xiangming LIU (Managing Partner of Grandall Nanjing office) delivered keynote speeches on the topic of “International Investments”. Mr. Dongkui FANG introduced the annual report on the development of Chinese enterprises in the EU which was jointly released by the China Chamber of Commerce and Roland Berger, a global consulting firm, for the fourth consecutive year, and pointed that Chinese enterprises in EU remained optimistic about the development of China-EU economic and trade relations from a long-term perspective, and put forward nearly 100 proposals on promoting China-EU development and cooperation, among others, jointly addressing global economic challenges, maintaining the WTO multilateral trading system, and promoting fairness, justice and non-discrimination business environment for Chinese enterprises. In a roundtable discussion on the latest developments in M&A, as well as M&A transaction prices related to cross-border investment, Mr. Yifan ZHU (Secretary General of ACLE), Mr. You SHANG (Director & CFO of ACLE), Mr. Xinyu HU (Vice-President of ACLE), Mr. Till Kosche (China Affairs partner at Noerr LLP), Ms. Jacqueline CAI (Partner of Grandall Shanghai office) and Mr. Yi HUANG (Partner of Grandall Changsha office) shared new thoughts and insights with the participants.

Mr. Henry HUANG (Director of Grandall B&R Business Committee, Director of Grandall Free Trade Port Business Committee and Partner of Grandall Shanghai office) and Ms. Alice Meissner (Partner of Marais Pacitti Attorneys and Chairwoman of European Chinese Arbitrators Association) delivered fantastic keynote speeches under the topic of “Dispute Resolution”. Ms. Wenli XU (President of Hebei Arbitration Association, Deputy Director of Grandall Cross-border Investment Committee, and Managing Partner of Grandall Shijiazhuang office), Mr. Walter CHEN (Partner of Grandall Nanjing office) and Mr. Roger XIE (Partner of Grandall Shenzhen office) held a discussion with other lawyers in dispute resolution on how domestic and foreign arbitration institutions and courts handle disputes. 

The other parallel session, on Financial Partnerships and Regulations and Data Protection and Regulations, presented heated and fruitful discussions. Chaired by Mr. Charles GUAN (Director of Grandall Banking & Finance Committee and Partner of Grandall Shanghai office), the topic of “Financial Partnerships and Regulations” saw wonderful keynote speeches delivered by Mr. Wei LIU (Director of Grandall Capital Markets Committee and Executive Partner of Grandall Law Firm) and Ms. Shu ZHANG (Associate of Bär & Karrer) with respect to the opportunities faced by Chinese enterprises and practices in the European capital markets, and roundtable discussion by Mr. Tao SUN (Head of Grandall Paris office), Mr. Yizhong XUE (Deputy Director of Grandall Banking & Finance Committee and Partner of Grandall Shenzhen office), Mr. Jason JIN (Partner of Grandall Beijing office) and Ms. Lei SHI (Associate of Grandall Shanghai office) on financial regulations in China and Europe and relevant cooperation instructions. Under the topic of “Data Protection and Regulations” chaired by Mr. Kevin QIAN, Mr. Daniel López (Partner of ECIJA), Ms. Lijun QU (EU Legal Manager of EVE Energy Co., Ltd.), Ms. Meiting ZHU (Head of China Affairs of SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschuetz), Ms. Dora HU (Partner of Grandall Beijing office) and Ms. Ting CHENG (Partner of Grandall Shenzhen office) had a lively discussion on the data protection and compliance regulations. 

In addition to the speakers, Ms. Mei JIE (Head of Grandall Stockholm office), Mr. Xuebin CHEN (Director of Grandall Cross-border Investment Committee), representatives of ACLE and CCPIT and Grandall lawyers attended the conference. Their efforts made the event a success, laying a good foundation for further communication and cooperation.

Given the current global crises, cooperation and stability between the two major economies, China and Europe, is of vital importance to global stability and development. Grandall lawyers will continue to give full play of their legal strength, adhere to integrity and innovation, improve foreign-related legal services, help enterprises manage compliance and risk prevention, and make further contributions to the stability of China-Europe economic and trade cooperation.