Recently, in order to promote the development of the "Two Zones", namely the Integrated National Demonstration Zone for Opening up the Services Sector and China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone (BFTZ), Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice and other departments jointly released the Measures of Beijing Municipality on Reforming and Improving the Development Environment of the Legal Services Industry (hereinafter referred to as the Measures).

According to the Measures, Beijing will further improve its services for work-type residence permit application and allow high-end foreign talents to apply for and obtain their work permit and residence permit all at once with one visit. It will also explore the possibility of integrating the foreigner's work permit and work-type residence permit into one. In addition, it will encourage law firms and arbitration agencies to invite international students from prestigious overseas universities to Beijing for internships and apply for short-term private affairs visas for them.

Cross-border income and expenditure for legal business will also become more convenient. To improve the efficiency of approval, the city will enhance the examination of foreign exchange documents for the trade in services of legal service providers who will no longer need to provide proof of authenticity one by one. The time for lawyers' approval will be significantly reduced by 50 percent, with the original approval time of 30 days shortened to 15 days. Regional restrictions on the establishment of law firms' branch offices in the same city will be lifted. In addition, the materials required to apply for law firm establishment will be reduced, and the notification and commitment system will be promoted to replace the provision of documentary evidence. Several other measures will also be implemented.

Beijing will work to create an international commercial arbitration center. According to the Measures, well-known arbitration agencies and international commercial mediation organizations will be encouraged to set up offices in BFTZ and carry out overseas arbitration and mediation in the field of civil and commercial disputes. All kinds of enterprises will be encouraged to choose Beijing-based arbitration bodies to deal with commercial arbitration when signing foreign-related contracts and agree on Beijing as the place of arbitration. Beijing will establish a safe and convenient dedicated international channel for Internet data within the BFTZ and provide security services for arbitration bodies and other legal service providers within BFTZ to access advanced international academic websites.

In addition, Beijing will support local law firms to establish branches abroad and improve the city's pool of foreign-related legal leaders and talents.

(Source: Beijing Daily)