On December 4th, 2024, the “Enterprise Development and Legal Service Innovation Forum”, a series event of the 2024 Boao Forum for Entrepreneurs, was held in Boao, Hainan. The Boao Forum for Entrepreneurs, which has been successfully held for 7 consecutive sessions, is guided by Xinhua News Agency and the People's Government of Hainan Province, and is organized by the Xinhua News Agency Brand Work Office, Xinhua Net, and the Hainan Branch of Xinhua News Agency. This year's “Enterprise Development and Legal Service Innovation Forum” is the first time a legal parallel forum has been introduced at the Boao Forum for Entrepreneurs. Zheng Zhenyu, Deputy Director General of the Administration of Public Legal Services of the Ministry of Justice, and Yang Qingbing, Vice President and Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of Xinhua Net, attended the forum and delivered speeches. Leaders from the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), the Cyberspace Administration Comprehensive Governance Bureau of  the Cyberspace Administration of China, and the All China Lawyers Association were invited to deliver keynote speeches.

(Event site)

In the keynote speech titled “The Mission, Responsibility, and Innovative Development of China's Arbitration in the New Era”, Xie Changqing, Vice President of the CIETAC Arbitration Court, stated that the new era demands China’s arbitration to enhance its credibility and international influence, playing a more significant role in serving and safeguarding the opening up and the “going global” of Chinese enterprises. As a flagship of China's foreign-related arbitration, CIETAC has been committed to innovation and upholding principles over the past 70 years since its establishment. Through continuously improving arbitration rules and practices, building a high-level internationalized arbitrator team, promoting the integration of Chinese and Western arbitration systems and practices, and leveraging new technologies to empower arbitration, CIETAC has formed distinctive features and advantages in handling foreign-related disputes, earning trust and support from domestic and international parties. The process of enterprises “going global” is full of challenges, requiring companies to fully understand the risks in dispute resolution and, with the enhancement of their negotiation status and capabilities, to make more favorable arbitration arrangements to protect the interests of enterprises and national development. Xie Changqing concluded by expressing the hope that in the future, enterprises will work closely with the arbitration profession, lawyers, and other legal service providers, jointly adhere to the concept of high-quality and innovative development, and promote the steady and healthy progress of opening up and the Belt and Road Initiative.

(Keynote speech by Vice President Xie Changqing)

Lyu Yan, Deputy Secretary General of the CIETAC Hainan Arbitration Center, was invited to deliver a speech at the roundtable session of the Parallel Forum on Enterprise Development and Legal Service Innovation. Lyu Yan introduced to the attendees the case management characteristics of the CIETAC Hainan Arbitration Center and its work since its establishment in promoting arbitration systems and participating in relevant legislative projects and policy formulation. Focusing on the theme of “Legal Protection for Enterprises Going Overseas”, she emphasized the selection of dispute resolution methods and the signing of arbitration clauses, and offered advice on how to strengthen risk control and enhance risk resistance capabilities for enterprises going abroad. She further interpreted the advantages of choosing Chinese arbitration institutions and designating China as the arbitration seat, in combination with the development of Chinese arbitration institutions, judicial support, the building of a preferred arbitration destination, and the recognition and enforcement of awards.

(Speech by Deputy Secretary General Lyu Yan at the roundtable session)

The forum also released 2024 practical cases on legal services overseas, held the launching ceremony of Xinhua Net Lawyer Expert Think Tank and signed agreements with the first batch of expert lawyers. The forum attracted over 100 representatives from enterprises, law firms and universities across China. Participants unanimously praised the event for its rich content and cutting-edge topics, which will help elevate the level of legal services and better provide legal protection for both domestic and foreign enterprises.