On October 21,The Information Office of Hainan Province hosted a press conference in Haikou,to sum up the 2024 Hainan Free Trade Port Legal Week,and to promote several consensuses there reached.

On October 21, a press conference for the release of the achievements of 2024 Hainan Free Trade Port Legal Week takes place in Haikou. Hinews.cn, Nanguo Dushibao, photograph by Li Hao

As is learned by the reporter from the press conference, the 2024 Hainan Free Trade Port Legal Week, which was cosponsored under the guidance of the Belt and Road International Lawyers Association by Hainan Layers Association and the Belt and Road International Lawyers Association Haikou representative office, was unveiled in Haikou recently.

According to Fu Qiongfen, President of Hainan Lawyers Association, this is the first legal week that has ever been hosted in Hainan, in which more than 700 Chinese and foreign guests were invited to attend 11 legal exchange sessions, themed salons and forums, and more than 100 guests delivered their speeches under the theme of “Law-based Free Trade Port, Dialogue with the World” to discuss legal issues, exchange views on the development of legal service, advocate cross-border legal service exchange and collaboration, promote foreign-related legal service quality, and explore the establishment of a foreign-related legal system that suits Hainan Free Trade Port.

The Legal Week, with the participation by heavyweight Chinese and foreign guests, has been an international, professional and forward-thinking event. As a legal convention to deepen exchange and communication on foreign-related legal service, exhibit the new image of a law-based free trade port, and gather new momentum for further development, it has made plenty of achievements.

• Established strategic partnerships. Hainan Department of Justice and the Belt and Road International Lawyers Association signed a Letter of Intent for cooperation; Sun Lawyers LLP from Hong Kong inaugurated its Haikou representative office; Hainan Lawyers Association entered a strategic framework agreement with more than 20 provincial and municipal lawyers associations present at the meeting; Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Vietnam Traders Arbitration Centre and Hainan Arbitration Association reached a cooperation agreement; M.C.A. Lai Solicitors LLP from Hong Kong and Haikou International Commercial Mediation Center signed a framework agreement for cooperation; 26 law firms and enterprises from Hainan had their booths on the Legal Week to publicize their businesses and negotiate cooperations with domestic and overseas law firms, enterprises and guests, reaching many a cooperation agreement; and relevant institutions, organizations, enterprises, lawyers associations, and law firms had extensive exchanges between them.

• Created a batch of theoretical research results. The guests had in-depth discussions on such topics as interim arbitration systems, the legal construction of Hainan Free Trade Port, and “B&R” legal services, produced a batch of forward-looking, innovative, well-targeted and practical theoretical research results. Besides, during the Legal Week, a parallel forum for lawyers from six central and southern provinces (autonomous regions) was sponsored, and the lawyers submitted 592

• The first law firm from Hong Kong set up its representative office in Hainan. During the Legal Week, Sun Lawyers LLP from Hong Kong inaugurated its Haikou representative office. This is the first Hong Kong law firm that has ever set up in Hainan a representative office. It will help Hainan enterprises to go overseas and overseas investors to come in, provide clients with high-quality one-stop cross-border legal service, and boost Hainan’s efforts to optimize its first-class, law-based, internationalized and convenient business environment.

• Put up a foreign-related rule of law brand. The Legal Week made a point to communicate and promote the innovative achievements of Hainan Free Trade Port in the rule of law, strengthen exchange and cooperation with law firms and enterprises, improve the foreign-related legal service in Hainan Free Trade Port, and beef up the influence and reputation of the legal service of Hainan Free Trade Port. These efforts have attracted the attention of law firms and enterprises from Hainan, excited the earnest response from China and the world, built a brand of “Law-based Free Trade Port, Dialogue with the World” in foreign-related rule of law, and boosted the high-level opening-up and high-quality development of Hainan Free Trade Port.

During the Legal Week, interesting cultural and sports events like the 13th “Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, Guangdong and Hainan Lawyers’ Badminton Matches”, lawyers’ chorus concert, and lawyers’ photographs, calligraphy and paintings exhibition were also staged, and Chinese and foreign guests were invited to visit Hainan Lawyers Association, Hainan International Arbitration Court, Haikou International Commercial Mediation Center, several law firms, and Haikou’s Jiangdong New District. The purpose was to exhibit the artistic attainments, cultural interest and social responsibility of the legal professionals, and to promote the unique environment, location and policies of Hainan Free Trade Port.