On November 4, 2019, saw the opening ceremony of the Swiss-China International Legal Experts Communication Program and the Trade, Economic and Legal Cooperation from the Perspective of Legal Globalization Communication Forum at the United Nations’ European headquarters. Over fifty lawyers from six countries attended.
Mr Christoph Spennemann and Ms Anila Premti, senior officers of legal affairs of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), welcomed delegates of the Swiss Chinese Law Association (SCLA). They hailed the project as a creative and helpful platform for Chinese lawyers learning international trade and communication conventions.
Mr Spenneman and Ms Premti praised the SCLA’s contributions to bridging geographical and cultural differences and its efforts to promote in-depth international legal cooperation.
They also presented the achievements of the United Nations Europe headquarters in Geneva and addressed several current issues in international legal area. Prominently, they discussed intellectual property protection in multilateral trade.
Mr Tianze Zhang, Ms Laura Davin andMs Yue Huang, directors of the Swiss-Chinese Law Association, introduced thepurpose of the association and the forum. Both will provide platforms for negotiationand consultation between lawyers in Switzerland, China and Europe.Since its establishment, the SCLA hasattracted over seventy members from four countries. Its membership is diverse, consistingmostly of partners at reputable law firms including King & Wood Mallesons,Zhong Lun, Kellerhals Carrard and Schelleberg Wittmer. The association alsoincludes Judges – such as the former appeals judge at Geneva’s Court of Appeal andformer judges of the Swiss Federal Tax Court – scholars, like professors at theUniversity of Zurich, and representatives of private companies – Huawei and SchneiderElevator executives, among others. International organizations, including ICAO,the Red Cross and the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, are alsorepresented.The forum was also introduced to the SCLA’scurrent projects. The association is applying to join UNCTAD observer seats,developing a common cooperation framework and norms between Chinese and Swisslaw firms and promoting a more transparent and fairer legal environment. Theorganization will produce a publication named Swiss-Chinese Law Review and establish an office in Zurich.
Speeches were also made by: Mr ZhishengJiang, Esq, senior partner at AT in Guangdong, Ms Xiaolei Yang, Esq, seniorpartner at King & Wood, Ms Fang Cheng ,Esq, senior partner of Zhong Lun LawFirm, and Mr Chang Baosheng, Esq, director of Guangdong Life & Treasure LawFirm. They thanked UNCTAD for its long-term support for the SCLA. All were gratefulfor the efforts of the UNCTAD secretariat and member states in recent years topromote the development of international trade.The speakers shared their opinions onChina’s intellectual property law, developments in China’s capital market, thenature of Swiss permanent neutrality and electronic currency.
SCLA’s founding members, Mr ClarencePeter, Esq, and Ms Annemarie Streuli, Esq, senior Partners of KellerhalsCarrard, both addressed the forum regarding restrictions on foreign investment.Ms Stéphane Voisard, Esq, partner of the V&R law firm, spoke on theworldwide promotion procedure of new energy strategies. Dr Nataša Hadžimanovićpresented an overview of Swiss arbitration law.
Attendees had lunch at the UN’s Restaurant des Délégués.In the afternoon, representatives,accompanied by senior UN officials, visited the main UN conference hall,museums and archives at Palais des Nations.
Editor: David Dahlborn, Ruonan ChenClick Read More to View the Articles from ChinaDaily
