Belt and Road International Legal Services Association Established in Xiamen

The International Forum on the Belt and Road Legal Services kicked off on March 30 in Xiamen, Fujian Province. Prior to the forum, the first council, chairperson, vice-chairpersons, and secretary-general were elected for the Belt and Road International Legal Services Association.

The establishment of the Belt and Road International Legal Services Association is a pragmatic measure to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation in the field of the rule of law under the Belt and Road Initiative. It is reported that the association is comprised of industry associations, legal institutions, and individuals from countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative in the fields of lawyers, arbitration, and commercial mediation. It is the first international professional organization in the field of the rule of law named after the Belt and Road Initiative. It will effectively pool full-chain legal service resources, including lawyers, arbitration, and commercial mediation, provide high-quality legal services for economic, trade, and cultural exchanges among participating countries, and better serve and ensure the high-quality and steady co-construction of the Belt and Road in the long term.

As of now, Chinese law firms have established 207 branches in 37 countries and regions, including 73 branches in 24 countries involved in the BRI. China has established a total of 284 arbitration institutions with over 60,000 arbitrators, having handled more than 5 million cases cumulatively, involving a total amount of approximately 9 trillion yuan. The parties involved in these cases come from over 100 countries and regions worldwide.