Multinational legal professionals gathered in Shenzhen Qianhai during the 2025 Chinese Language Lawyers Conference for a special inspection tour, exploring the area's potential as an emerging hub for international legal and business services.
Described by participants as "representing China's highest level of opening-up," the Qianhai cooperation zone has drawn attention for its innovative approach to aligning legal standards between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Lawyers specializing in cross-border investment and international trade dispute resolution from the United States, Japan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Poland, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic joined the "Foreign Lawyers Look at Qianhai" tour.
The delegation visited the First Circuit Court of the Supreme People's Court, the International Arbitration Building, and held in-depth discussions with the international law firm HFW. The tour also featured immersive experiences at Qianhai Block V, where participants engaged with cutting-edge technology such as AI-powered robotics and smart chess, alongside functional zones designed for talent services, tech innovation, and international exchange.
Michal Nita, a legal consultant from the leading Polish law firm Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka, expressed strong confidence in Qianhai's legal innovation. "The integration of Shenzhen and Hong Kong's legal rules is highly innovative and offers European companies stable legal expectations for investing in China," said Nita, who was visiting Qianhai for the second time. "We plan to set up a liaison office in Shenzhen to enhance legal cooperation between Polish and Chinese enterprises."
Robert Lewis, Chairman of SIPAC and a US lawyer with 32 years of experience in China, has recently relocated to Shenzhen. He cited the growing demand for international legal services in the region. "Our network covers over 50 countries and can address practical challenges faced by Chinese companies expanding abroad. Qianhai's international legal district is ideally positioned to meet global demand for efficient and diverse cross-border legal services."
Gulnur Nurkeyeva, Director of the China Office of GRATA International Law Firm from Kazakhstan, praised Qianhai's efficiency and international arbitration environment. "A UK firm completed its representative office establishment approval in just three to six months—that's impressive. I look forward to learning from these experiences and eventually setting up an office here to promote legal cooperation between Central Asia and China."
Moriwaki Akira, Representative of Anderson Mōri & Tomotsune's Shanghai Office, also spoke highly of Qianhai's legal environment. Having established offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong since 1998, the firm sees strong potential for collaboration with Qianhai-based companies expanding into Japan and global markets.
Jean Joseph Ceant, a lawyer from Haiti, visited China for the first time and was deeply impressed. "The development of Qianhai is astounding. I hope to facilitate the establishment of offices here by law firms from Latin and Central America, so more clients can access Qianhai's high-quality cross-border legal services."
The event underscored Qianhai's strategic role in strengthening international legal cooperation and supporting global business under China's evolving legal framework.
Reporter: Cai Minling, Zhang Wei
Photo: Zhang Wei
Editor: Wei Shen, James Campion, Shen He
