Belt and Road Legal Business Environment Between China and France Seminar Held in Hangzhou Today

Seminar Overview

On the afternoon of June 14, 2019, the closed-door "Belt and Road Legal Business Environment Between China and France Seminar" was held at Zhejiang Taihang Law Firm in Hangzhou. The seminar was guided by the Zhejiang Provincial Association of Senior Economists, the Développement France-Chine and the International Legal Service Centre of the Europe-China Cooperation Committee(EUCNC). It was hosted by the M&A and Investment Committee of the Zhejiang Provincial Association of Senior Economists, Zhejiang Taihang Law Firm and the French Bignon Lebray & Associes, and co-organised by the M&A and Investment Committee of the Hangzhou Lawyers Association, Hangzhou Sijie Ouchuang Cultural Communication Co. Ltd. and the e Lawyer Union.

Distinguished guests attending the seminar included: Mr. Wang Zheng, Director of Zhejiang Taihang Law Firm, Director of the M&A and Investment Committee of the Zhejiang Provincial Association of Senior Economists and Deputy Director of the M&A and Investment Committee of the Hangzhou Lawyers Association; Mr. Luo Shaokang, Executive Director of Zhejiang Taihang Law Firm; Mr. Jacques Goyet, Chairman of the Management Committee of Bignon Lebray & Associes; Mr. Song Liwei, attorney of Bignon Lebray & Associes Shanghai Representative Office; Mr. Zou Jianfeng, Vice Presiden and the Head of China Divisiont of the Développement France-Chine; Mr. Fang Bin, Secretary-General of the Zhejiang Provincial Association of Senior Economists; Mr. Chen Denong, person in charge of the International Finance Department of the Zhejiang Branch of the Agricultural Bank of China; Mr. Mai Shisong, Founder of Richful Deyong‌ and Deputy Director of the M&A and Investment Committee of the Zhejiang Provincial Association of Senior Economists; Mr. Jiang Lianpeng, Director of Zhejiang Zhongqihua Certified Public Accountants Firm; Mr. Liu Xinshui, President of the Yiwu Lishui Chamber of Commerce, Deputy Director of the M&A and Investment Committee of the Provincial Association of Senior Economists and Secretary-General of the Bojiang Enterprise Investment Club; Mr. Zhang Ronggang, Chairman of 5C; Mr. Richard Wimsatt, Co-founder of Lansi Global; the Secretariat of the ABCF UK-China Financial Association; and Xiao Yuer, Chairman of Zhaojun Media Culture Co. Ltd., etc.

Guest Speeches

Welcoming Address by Mr Wang Zheng, Director of Zhejiang Taihang Law Firm

The seminar comprised six segments: guest speeches, keynote speeches, signing ceremony, project roadshow, discussion and exchange, and a group photo. The seminar officially commenced with the welcoming address by Director Wang Zheng. He welcomed all guests gathered at Taihang Law Firm to discuss the grand plan of the China-France business environment and expressed his profound expectations for the outcomes of the seminar.

Mr Zou Jianfeng, Vice President and Head of the China Division of the Développement France-Chine, delivered the address as the guest representative. Mr Zou first extended his congratulations on the successful convening of the seminar. In his speech, Mr Zou provided detailed insights into the French edition of China Newsweek and the history of the Développement France-Chine, as well as its exchanges with prominent figures and enterprises in French society, and extended a sincere invitation to all representatives present.

Address of Mr Zou Jianfeng, Vice President and Head of the China Division of the Développement France-Chine

Mr Wang Zhongde, Director of the International Legal Service Centre of EUCNC and Dean of the International Law Research Institute of EUCNC, sent a written congratulatory letter for the successful convening of this seminar, entrusting Ms Guo Yanchen, a member of the Secretariat of the International Legal Service Centre of EUCNC and attorney at Zhejiang Taihang Law Firm, to read the letter on his behalf. In his congratulatory letter, Mr. Wang Zhongde introduced the purpose, functions and organizational structure of the EUCNC, noting that the EUCNC provides relevant services for the collaboration between EU member states and relevant Chinese authorities in the economic and cultural fields, actively assists relevant European enterprises in entering and establishing themselves in the Chinese market with support, assists Chinese government agencies and functional departments at various levels in their promotion and investment attraction efforts across European countries, and assists Chinese enterprises in entering the European market with support and assistance in various fields. Finally, Mr Wang Zhongde expressed the hope that the International Legal Service Centre of EUCNC would provide some assistance to the partners of this seminar, facilitate cooperation, and achieve mutual benefit. 

Attorney Guo Yanchen of the Secretariat of the International Legal Service Centre of EUCNC read Mr Wang Zhongde's congratulatory letter, interpreted by Mr Richard Wimsatt, Co-founder of Lansi Global

Keynote Speeches

During the keynote speech segment, Mr Jacques Goyet, Chairman of the Management Committee of Bignon Lebray & Associes, and Mr Song Liwei, attorney of Bignon Lebray & Associes Shanghai Representative Office, jointly delivered a keynote speech titled "Several Legal Issues Should Be Considered in Investment in France (Aspects juridiques des investissements en France)". They provided a detailed introduction to investment in France from three perspectives: the regulatory supervision of foreign direct investment in France, intellectual property issues in investments in France, and the M&A process and key considerations. They also announced the list of investments requiring approval for foreign direct investment in France.

Mr Wang Zheng, Director of Zhejiang Taihang Law Firm, and Mr Richard Wimsatt, Co-founder of Lansi Global, jointly delivered a keynote speech titled "China Global Sustainable Investment Services". They provided a detailed introduction to the background of China's global investment environment, how to successfully conduct China global investments, the investment collaboration advantages of Taihang and the e Lawyer Union, and the establishment, operation and transaction process of the global M&A and investment collaboration network, which was highly recognised by the attending representatives.

Mr. Jacques Goyet and Bignon Lebray & Associés Shanghai Representative Office Attorney Mr. Song Liwei: "Several Legal Issues Should Be Considered in Investment in France (Aspects juridiques des investissements en France)"

Mr Wang Zheng and the Co-founder of Lansi Global, Mr Richard Wimsatt: "China Global Sustainable Investment Services"

Signing Ceremony

The next segment was an important part of the seminar — the signing ceremony of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement between Zhejiang Taihang Law Firm and Bignon Lebray & Associés. Mr Wang Zheng, Director of Zhejiang Taihang Law Firm, and Mr Jacques Goyet, Chairman of the Management Committee of Bignon Lebray & Associés, executed the agreement as signing representatives. Subsequently, Mr Wang Zheng, President of the e Lawyer Union, conducted the union plaque-awarding ceremony for Bignon Lebray & Associés. Bignon Lebray & Associés officially joined the e Lawyer Union as its 149th member and the sole authorised partner in Paris, France. 

Signing Ceremony of Zhejiang Taihang Law Firm and Bignon Lebray & Associés

Plaque-Awarding Ceremony of the e Lawyer Union

Project Roadshow

Mr Jacques Goyet, Chairman of the Management Committee of Bignon Lebray & Associés, and Mr Song Liwei, attorney of Bignon Lebray & Associés Shanghai Representative Office, jointly conducted a project roadshow. Founded in 1982, Bignon Lebray & Associés has 80 professional lawyers, including over 30 senior partners, with offices in four French cities: Paris, Lille, Lyon, and Aix-Marseille. The firm possesses formidable strength in the fields of corporate law–mergers & acquisitions, intellectual property law & high-tech law, private equity investment law, tax law, competition & distribution law, labour law, information technology law, personal data protection law, e-commerce law, banking, finance, capital markets, IT, real estate and others.

Discussion and Exchange

Successful Conclusion

The representatives engaged in heated discussion and exchange on the hot topics and difficulties of the China-France business environment, as well as on investment sectors and investment pathways in France concerning apparel, cosmetics, luxury goods, high-tech and creative companies. Finally, the attending representatives highly praised the convening of this seminar and placed great expectations on it, anticipating that through the convening of this seminar and the establishment of the global M&A and investment collaboration network, deeper mutual assistance and cooperation could be developed in future M&A investments in France and commercial and trade exchanges with Europe. After the meeting, the attending representatives took a group photo, marking the successful conclusion of this seminar.