Beijing will establish an international dispute settlement center to encourage the residence of world-renowned arbitration and dispute settlement organizations, and law firms, and strive to develop itself into an international commercial arbitration center. On July 20, Beijing officially issued the Measures on Reform and Optimization of the Environment for Legal Service Industry's Development in Beijing Municipality (hereinafter referred to as the "Measures").

In terms of improving services and reducing institutional costs, the Measures will provide more convenient work residences and entry/exit services, facilitate cross-border transactions between legal businesses, and optimize judicial and administrative approval services. In terms of facilitating development and improving international service capabilities, in order to fully utilize Beijing's advantages in commercial services and attract high-quality international arbitration resources, the Measures outlines support to build an international commercial arbitration center by encouraging well-known arbitration institutions and international commercial mediation organizations to establish businesses in China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone, carry out foreign-related arbitration and mediation on civil and commercial disputes, and support Chinese and foreign parties in the application for and execution of interim measures for preservation of property, evidence and behavior before and during the arbitration.

In order to support the expansion of foreign-related legal service in Beijing, the Measures outlines the establishment of a regular connection mechanism between overseas investment enterprises and foreign-related legal service agencies, smoothing the supply and demand channels of foreign-related legal services, supporting Beijing law firms in establishing international branches and carrying out cooperation in international commercial transactions with overseas legal service agencies as business partners.

The Measures also strengthens the development of foreign-related legal service talents. Legal industry associations, legal service agencies, and well-known domestic and foreign law schools and universities, international organizations and other industry associations will be encouraged to establish partner legal talent training bases. Under policy support, a training program for postgraduates holding master's degrees in law (foreign-related lawyers) will be established, while law firms and arbitration institutions with strong foreign-related legal service capabilities will be strongly recommended as training partners.

(Note: Content source is from Chinanews.com)