In the 1980s, China began re-implementing its system of law. Now,
more than 20 years later, after many efforts, China has improved
much in the way of its rule of law and is becoming a huge market
for legal services.
Tao Jingzhou, a 45-year-old who was born and raised in China and
received a legal education and lawyer's license in France, is one
of the increasing number of overseas lawyers who have come to China
in pursuit of the dream of becoming a world-renowned and rich
lawyer.
Tao began his current job in 1992 as the managing partner of Couder
Brothers, a legal firm boasting more than 30 offices in 18
countries around the world and engaging in services covering more
than 40 legal fields.
After ten years of legal practice in France, Tao said it was the
major improvement in China's legal environment that drew his
attention a dozen years ago.
"I
spent four years learning Chinese law as a college student before I
was educated and earned a lawyer's license in France. I can fully
feel the huge changes in China's legislation," said Tao.
By
communicating with classmates and friends in China, Tao has kept a
close watch on what has happened with China's legislation.
"No one ever expected such big changes in just 20 years," he said
when recalling his past years. "Frankly, I have some unique
advantages over other foreign raised lawyers. I know the cultural
customs and legal background of China better than them, and, as a
result, I know what are the real market chances inside China."
"Basically, I have fulfilled my dream. I have won the reputation of
being a world class lawyer among French enterprises, French
lawyers, and even lawyers around the world. The governments of many
countries have invited me to brief them on the situation in China,"
said Tao.
Tao has represented over a dozen Chinese enterprises in dozens of
anti-dumping cases raised by the European Union and assisted dozens
of the world's top 500 enterprises when they poured huge sums of
money into China for investment.
"It was as early as 1991 when I assessed that Western entrepreneurs
would turn their eyes to countries with a steady economy and China
was then one of the few paradises they would settle in," said
Tao.
Preferential economic policies and a stable social situation have
long attracted farsighted entrepreneurs around the world to China,
and their steps have been closely followed by the world's elite
lawyers.
In
1992, China opened up its legal services to overseas lawyers as
other Western countries had done. By 2002, half of the world's top
50 law firms had established offices in China and the number of
foreign law offices has passed 130, according to statistics from
the Ministry of Justice.
Twenty-plus years of hard work on legislation has brought China a
relatively complete legal system, which has played a significant
role in safeguarding the healthy development of China's market
economy.
A
blue paper issued by China in 2002 shows that from the 1980s to
April of 2002, the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top
legislature, had stipulated 292 national laws and passed 121
law-related decisions, the State Council had adopted 920
administrative regulations, and local people's congresses
throughout China had also created more than 7,000 local laws.
"China's legislation has improved a great deal both in quality and
quantity since 1978," said Tao, noting that China has completed in
two decades a law-making process which took Western countries
usually more than a century.
Tao also quoted Gu Angran, an NPC law maker, as saying that,
generally, China has legal rules to follow in all aspects such as
politics, economy and social affairs.
As
a result of a long-time promotion carried out by the government
across the country, the people's awareness of law has improved
tremendously. More and more Chinese citizens tend to turn to the
law for protection of their legitimate rights, while they were
unlikely to do that decades ago.
"China's law-based economic order has become a major reason why
foreigners see good prospects in China's markets," said Tao, adding
that China boasts the world's largest potential consumption market
and the world's largest legal services market.
"The in-flow of international capital into China spurs foreign
lawyers to enter China to get in on the large number of possible
market shares. I believe many of them will realize their dreams in
this Promised Land," he said.
China has been making efforts to promote the development of its
western regions, where the legal services market is eyed by experts
as a promising sector and many law firms will fight for a large
market share. Tao and his colleagues are also planning to set up
there.
Tao said there remains much to improve in China's rule of law, such
as codification.
"As a foreign lawyer, I fully understand the difficulties China is
facing during this critical period," he said.
China's democratic legislation process has welcomed some overseas
lawyers' opinions and the legislators are hearing more and more of
their voices.
"I
am fully confident of China's future and believe China is one of
the best lands for overseas lawyers to fulfill their dreams," he
said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 20, 2003)