Heilongjiang advances foreign-related rule of law to boost development of BRILA

In recent years, the justice department of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province has adopted a series of innovative measures to facilitate the development of the Belt and Road International Lawyers Association, and steadily advance foreign-related rule of law, aiming to build itself into a new highland for Russia-related legal services.

This year, judicial administrative organs province-wide have handled 48 cases of foreign-related legal services, involving such areas as economy and trade, investment and culture.

In May 2018, the province's justice department established a specialized team and a lawyer service team for foreign-related legal services, designated lawyers to attend study sessions on Russian enterprises and offered lectures on foreign-related legal services, which has comprehensively improved local lawyers' capabilities in providing foreign-related legal services.

The justice department has closely collaborated with 20 universities, including the Law School of Heilongjiang University, to establish training plans for foreign-related legal talents, in a bid to provide a solid talent guarantee for Heilongjiang to promote foreign-related rule of law.

Furthermore, the Northeast Asia International Arbitration Center, located in the province's Harbin New Area, has specially formed a foreign-related arbitration team comprising 15 foreign-related arbitration secretaries and 50 foreign arbitrators from 22 countries and regions, including Russia, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.

Additionally, the justice department has provided guidance for conducting multi-level foreign-related legal activities at the grassroots level.

For instance, Mudanjiang city has set up a foreign-related legal service team, which has established cooperative partnerships with over 10 universities and legal service institutions from home and abroad. The team comprises 98 domestic and foreign experts specialized in such fields as law, economy and trade, and language translation, and has achieved resource sharing and close collaboration in the operation model, case discussions, and legal services. The city also established a legal service center for promoting China-Russia cooperation and the Mudanjiang Arbitration Commission (Suifenhe) International Commercial Arbitration Court so as to substantially advance foreign-related rule of law.

Heilongjiang has also formed a foreign-related lawyer team to provide foreign-related legal services in terms of trade and investment projects involving Russia. The team has played an active role in China's participation in international trade negotiations, mediation, and arbitration activities, providing legal support for safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and promoting the smooth conduct of international trade activities.