The Ministry of Commerce's "Research and Training Course on Legal System Construction in Equatorial Guinea" visited DHHT
On August 27, 2026, the delegation of the MOFCOM Equatorial Guinea Legal Capacity-Building Training Class — visited Shanghai DHHT Law Offices (DHHT), where the two sides jointly held an exchange event under the theme of “New Horizons in Cross-Border Legal Collaboration: Dialogue on Chinese and Equatorial Guinean Legal Practice under the Belt and Road Initiative.” The event focused on comparative legal frameworks between China and Equatorial Guinea, cross-border dispute resolution, foreign-related compliance, and other core issues, aiming to deepen Sino-Equatorial Guinean legal cooperation and explore shared opportunities under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The training class is a foreign-aid training cooperation program approved by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and organized by Shanghai Business School. It aims to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Equatorial Guinean professionals engaged in rule-of-law development, share China’s experience and achievements in building a socialist rule-of-law system with Chinese characteristics—particularly in legal services and judicial practice—and promote dialogue on litigation-related legal principles and practices. More than twenty guests from Equatorial Guinea attended the event, led by Ruben, Director of Human Resources of the Senate of Equatorial Guinea, and Jaime, Deputy Director of Protocol of the Senate. At the outset of the event, Hong Sun and Lance Nie, Partners of DHHT Shanghai Office, guided the delegates on a tour of the firm and introduced its development history, practice areas, and legal teams, offering the guests first-hand insights into the professional environment of a Chinese law firm. The event was moderated by Lesley Duan from DHHT Shanghai Office.
Opening Remarks: Unveiling a New Chapter of Collaboration
Jason Jiang, Founding Partner of DHHT, delivered the welcome speech, extending a warm welcome to the distinguished delegation on behalf of the firm. He noted that this year marks the 56th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Equatorial Guinea, and that law is not merely a set of rules, but a vital bridge — one that connects markets, facilitates international trade, safeguards investments, and builds trust between nations. He briefed the delegates on DHHT. He also expressed appreciation for the thoughtful arrangements behind the event, and voiced his hope that this visit would mark the beginning of an ongoing dialogue and open new avenues for cross-border legal cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
On behalf of the Equatorial Guinean delegates, Ruben, Director of Human Resources of the Senate of Equatorial Guinea, delivered a speech of thanks. He first expressed sincere gratitude to DHHT for its warm hospitality and thoughtful arrangements. He noted that China’s remarkable development achievements have made it a role model from which fellow developing countries are keen to learn. The visit, he said, offered the delegation valuable first-hand insights into the working environment of a Chinese law firm and the practice of China’s rule-of-law development, and he looked forward to more exchange opportunities of this kind in the future.
Theme Sharing: Legal Perspectives on China-Africa Investment and Trade
In the theme-sharing session, Prof. Zhi Li, Doctor of Law, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the Law School of Shanghai University and part-time lawyer of DHHT Shanghai Office, delivered a keynote presentation entitled “The Legal Status and Countermeasures of China’s Investment and Trade with Four East African Countries.” Prof. Li systematically outlined the legal risks Chinese enterprises commonly encounter in investment and trade with Africa — spanning investment procedures, taxation, special economic zones, and labor employment — and offered a comparative-law reading of the legislation of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda across fields including investment, taxation, special economic zones, anti-commercial bribery, mining and environmental protection, and labor. She noted that under the Belt and Road Initiative, fostering a sound environment for investment and trade and delivering high-quality legal services constitute an essential path to mutual benefit and win-win outcomes — one in which DHHT can play an important pioneering role. She also expressed her readiness to deepen cooperation with all parties on Africa-related legal research.
Roundtable Discussion: Sharing Practical Insights
The roundtable discussion was moderated by Lance Nie of DHHT Shanghai Office, with Bruce Chi and Alan Yu, Senior Partners of the Shanghai Office, as well as lawyers Charles Liu, Amilia Chen, and David Wang participating in the discussion. Bruce Chi introduced how China’s commercial arbitration system works and how to select an arbitration institution; Alan Yu gave a brief introduction to Chinese Company Law, covering the highlights of the 2023 revision and the pathway for foreign investors to establish companies in China; Charles Liu shared the mechanisms through which Chinese labor law protects employees, together with the philosophy behind them; Amilia Chen offered practical insights on parallel proceedings and jurisdictional conflicts in international trade disputes; and David Wang focused on legal risk control and dispute resolution paths for China–Equatorial Guinea cross-border investment. The two sides also engaged in lively interaction on practical issues of mutual interest, making the session vibrant and engaging.
Closing Remarks: Envisioning Future Collaboration
In his closing remarks, Jaime, Deputy Director of Protocol of the Senate of Equatorial Guinea, expressed his appreciation on behalf of the delegation. He thanked all the speakers for their excellent presentations and DHHT for its warm hospitality, noting that the visit was both substantive and inspiring. He looked forward to continued exchanges between the legal communities of the two countries to jointly promote bilateral economic, trade, and rule-of-law cooperation.
Prof. Zegang Jin, Doctor of Law, Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, and Director of the Expert Committee of DHHT, delivered the concluding remarks. He spoke highly of the rich and substantive content of the event and commended the lawyers for their professional, high-quality presentations. With a touch of humor, he observed that the backdrop of the event was red — echoing the character “Chi” (meaning red) in the Chinese name of Equatorial Guinea — a fitting token of the affinity between the two countries, as red symbolizes warmth and good fortune in Chinese culture. He concluded by wishing the delegates a wonderful stay in China and looking forward to meeting them again.
This event marked another significant step in DHHT’s deepening cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce, its support of the Belt and Road Initiative, and its commitment to international rule-of-law exchange. Moving forward, DHHT will continue to deepen global legal partnerships, empowering cross-border collaboration with professional expertise to chart a new chapter in Sino-Equatorial Guinean legal cooperation.
