The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia, and the development of the relationship between the two countries is standing at a new historical starting point. In order to actively respond to the “Belt and Road” initiative, deepen the construction of the global service network layout of Jingshi Law Firm, and at the same time provide solid legal risk prevention and control for the economic and trade exchanges and development between China and Malaysia, the opening ceremony of the Kuala Lumpur office of Jingshi Law Firm in Malaysia was held successfully at the Twin Towers International Convention and Exhibition Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 29th, 2024, which is the first time that the office of Jingshi Law Firm in Malaysia was opened. The Opening Ceremony As the 27th overseas office, the Kuala Lumpur office is a key step in the firm’s expansion into the Southeast Asian legal services market.

The firm entered into a formal business partnership with JS Ling, Diyana & Singh and C.S. Tan & Partners to organize the Malaysia-China International Economic, Trade, Investment and Legal Summit and the opening of the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia office of JS Ling, Diyana & Singh.

Deputy Minister of Communications and Member of Parliament Teo Nim Koon said that since 2009, China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, and the total trade volume between China and Malaysia in 2023 will be as high as RM450.8 billion 400 million (about US$98.9 billion), which accounts for 17.1% of Malaysia’s total trade volume with the world. She pointed out that Chinese investment in Malaysia is growing, accounting for about 7 percent of Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP), and the influx of large amounts of Chinese capital has not only injected strong vitality into the Malaysian economy, but also created a large number of local employment opportunities. She emphasized that as China-Malaysia economic and trade exchanges become closer, the importance of legal protection in cross-border business activities has become more and more prominent, and the successful landing of China-Malaysia cooperation projects as well as their continuous operation need legal support, hoping that the Kuala Lumpur office of Jingshi Law Offices in Malaysia will play a key role in promoting the in-depth cooperation between the two countries in terms of law and business, and effectively promote the bilateral economic and trade relations to go forward steadily.

Dato’ Sri Lim Jie Xin, Director of JS Ling, Diyana & Singh, Malaysia and Director of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Cooperation Office of Jingshi Law Firm, pointed out that this year coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China, and that this important historical node provides unprecedented opportunities for the deepening of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries’ enterprises. Malaysia follows the British common law legal system and signed the New York Convention in 1958, which provides strong legal protection for Chinese investors in Malaysia and creates a favorable investment atmosphere. She emphasized that the Kuala Lumpur Cooperation Office of King & Wood Mallesons will do its best to provide comprehensive and one-stop cross-border legal services for the enterprises of the two countries, to build a smooth bridge of cooperation, to help the two countries in two-way communication and exchange in the fields of economy, trade and law, and to contribute professional strength to promote the economic development and prosperity of the two countries.

Mr. Chen Zhixian, Director of C.S. Tan & Partners, Malaysia, and Executive Director of the Kuala Lumpur office of C.S. Tan & Partners, Malaysia, said that with the deepening of the cooperation between China and Malaysia in the areas of the “Belt and Road”, the digital economy, and green development, the demand for cross-border legal services between the two countries has been increasing. The demand for cross-border legal services between the two countries has been increasing. In this context, the Kuala Lumpur office of King & Wood Mallesons is able to provide legal protection and professional service support for Malaysian enterprises’ business and investment in China and globally, as well as to promote the in-depth integration and breakthroughs in the field of professional services between China and Malaysia, and inject new vitality into the cooperation and development of the two sides.

Mr. Hu Zhengwu, Director of the Chongqing Branch of King & Wood Mallesons and Head of the Kuala Lumpur Office of King & Wood Mallesons, said that Malaysia, as an important participant in the “Belt and Road” Initiative, has a close cooperative relationship with China in a variety of fields, including economy, trade, culture and so on. The official establishment of the Kuala Lumpur office of Jingshi Law Firm will become a bridge and link between Malaysia and China in terms of cultural exchanges and legal services, further strengthening the legal exchanges and cooperation between China and Malaysia, and providing more professional and efficient cross-border legal services for the development of Chinese enterprises in Malaysia.

Mr. Chen Xi, Equity Partner of King & Wood Mallesons, expressed his hope that the Kuala Lumpur Cooperation Office of King & Wood Mallesons would actively play the role of a bridge in providing cross-border legal services for enterprises of the two countries, and advocate the enterprises of the two countries to adopt an open and tolerant mindset to understand and accept the differences in legal cognition, and to deepen the level of cooperation and broaden the areas of cooperation by adhering to the principles of fairness, impartiality, and high efficiency. Together, we will create a new chapter of win-win cooperation between China and Malaysia.

In his speech, Mr. Cao Jianxiong, Vice Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Court of International Arbitration (APIA) Center, mentioned that China and Malaysia are close in geographical proximity, human relations and cultural ties. In recent years, economic and trade exchanges and cultural exchanges between China and Malaysia have become increasingly close, providing a broad space for China and Malaysia to strengthen practical cooperation. 2024 May 10, APIA (Malaysia) was officially launched, focusing on the resolution of Malaysia’s international commercial trade and investment disputes, for the international business environment to provide a sound legal protection for the parties to provide professional, efficient and convenient arbitration services.

Wu Yun, Secretary-General of the Chongqing Private International Economic Cooperation Chamber of Commerce, stated that the chamber is dedicated to building a platform that helps Chinese enterprises seize opportunities for overseas trade and investment and engage in international cooperation. The chamber continuously enhances its development and reforms while actively fulfilling its social responsibilities. Wu expressed hope that enterprises from both countries could fully utilize multilateral platforms such as the China-ASEAN Expo and the China International Import Expo to further promote stable progress in economic and trade cooperation between the two nations, contributing to greater mutual benefit and win-win results.

Wu Yun, Secretary-General of the Chongqing Private International Economic Cooperation Chamber of Commerce, stated that the chamber is dedicated to building a platform that helps Chinese enterprises seize opportunities for overseas trade and investment and engage in international cooperation. The chamber continuously enhances its development and reforms while actively fulfilling its social responsibilities. Wu expressed hope that enterprises from both countries could fully utilize multilateral platforms such as the China-ASEAN Expo and the China International Import Expo to further promote stable progress in economic and trade cooperation between the two nations, contributing to greater mutual benefit and win-win results.

Teo Nie Ching, Deputy Minister of Communications of Malaysia and Member of Parliament; Datuk Seri Ling Jiexin, Managing Partner of JS Ling, Diyana & Singh Law Firm and Director of Beijing Jingshi Law Firm Kuala Lumpur Collaboration Office; Tan Zhixian, Managing Partner of C.S. Tan & Partners Law Firm and Executive Director of Beijing Jingshi Law Firm Kuala Lumpur Collaboration Office; Chen Xi, Equity Partner of Beijing Jingshi Law Firm; and Hu Zhengwu, Director of the Chongqing Branch of Beijing Jingshi Law Firm and Head of the Kuala Lumpur Collaboration Office, jointly pressed their handprints to officially launch the collaboration office. In the presence of all distinguished attendees, the Kuala Lumpur Collaboration Office of Beijing Jingshi Law Firm was formally inaugurated.

Subsequently, the Malaysia-China Legal Business Cooperation and Development Forum was held, in which two groups of guests held round-table discussions on the topics of opportunities and challenges of cooperation between Chinese and Malaysian enterprises, and how to build a sustainable ecosystem for enterprises going overseas, to jointly explore a new model of foreign-related legal services, and to provide new ideas for Chinese enterprises to go overseas.

Fifty years of changing seasons have witnessed the deepening and expanding of China-Malaysia economic and trade cooperation, which has now demonstrated strong vitality and potential. In the future, the Kuala Lumpur office of King & Wood Mallesons will build a regular exchange and cooperation mechanism for enterprises and individuals of the two countries, and provide efficient, high-quality and convenient one-stop cross-border legal services, so as to jointly build a mode of economic and trade cooperation between enterprises of the two countries that is highly mutually beneficial, complementary, and promotive, and to inject a strong impetus for the development of law and trade in the Southeast Asian region.

The Malaysia-China International Economic, Trade, Investment and Legal Summit Forum and the opening ceremony of the Kuala Lumpur office of Jingshi Law Firm in Malaysia were reported by a number of mainstream media, such as the Malaysia China Newspaper, Sin Chew Daily, Nanyang Siang Siang Pau, Guanghua Daily, and United Daily News.