China to enhance legal services for epidemic control, work resumption

BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Justice has issued a guideline on setting up green channels for legal services concerning the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus, as well as work and production resumption amid the epidemic.

Asking all legal service providers to fully carry out their duties and functions, the guideline calls for prioritized and swift handling of legal services including notarization, authentication and arbitration required in epidemic control and work and production resumption, as well as door-to-door legal services for medical personnel, army personnel, volunteers and other groups at the frontline in the battle against the epidemic.

Local judicial and administrative authorities should coordinate the resumption of the operation of legal service providers based on the assessment of the providers' own epidemic control conditions, according to the guideline.

It also asks for the notarization of the force majeure imposed by the epidemic outbreak on enterprises and individuals and further legal consultation and notarization for those affected by the epidemic outbreak in terms of contracts, liability exemption and other issues.