Wang Jing & GH Law Firm

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sino-British Ambassadorial Relationship, a Sino-British Legal and Maritime Service Seminar was held in the Central Meeting Hall of Wang Jing & GH Law Firm on 1 November 2022. This Seminar was co-hosted by British Consulate General in Guangzhou and Guangdong Shipping Law Research Institute of Guangdong Law Society, and supported by the Department for International Trade of UK. At the beginning of the Seminar, Mr. Matt Moody, Consul General from British Consulate General in Guangzhou, Ms. Lin Cuizhu, Deputy President of Guangdong Shipping Law Research Institute of Guangdong Law Society and Director of Yang & Lin Co Law Firm, and Mr. Wang Jing, Chairman of Board of Directors, Wang Jing & GH Law Firm, delivered opening speeches to guests and friends from all over the world to welcome their participation in the event.

As a maritime nation, the UK has a long and well-documented history in shipping, insurance and maritime trade with a complete maritime industry chain. In terms of legal services, London is a world center for legal arbitration. The UK has a large legal service market second only to the US globally and highly-skilled pool of legal professionals. The UK boasts a large number of leading corporations in areas such as insurance, consultancy, trading and shipbroking. In terms of education, the top academic research environment in UK’s universities provides a steady stream of professionals for the maritime industries. As Mr. Matt Moody, Consul General from British Consulate General in Guangzhou, commented, maritime industries are currently and will still be the most flourishing and innovative sector in the UK in future. Therefore, taking the opportunity of the 50th Anniversary of Sino-British relations at Ambassadorial level and to cope with the 5-year plan to promote the UK’s global maritime sector developed by UK’s Department for International Trade, this Seminar is held to further promote the UK’s international maritime services and help the industries access global opportunities to export products and services, as well as attracting investment.

It was an unforgettable exchange of modern international maritime legal services. The Seminar was convened both online and offline with live streaming concurrently in London, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. Chinese English simultaneous interpretation was offered to Chinese and foreign guests located in several different time zones.

The Depute Presidents and Secretary-General of Guangdong Shipping Law Research Institute of Guangdong Law Society participated personally in this event. Invited speakers are all distinguished guests in Mainland of China and the UK’s maritime legal service sectors. Speakers from British maritime and legal service sectors include: Mr. David Steward, President of LMAA, Ms. Ashley Xu, Director and MECO Manager, Chartered P&I Club, Mr. Zhang Jing, Chief Representative of UK P&I Club in Mainland of China, Mr. Allan Ding, Chief Representative of GAFTA（the UK）Beijing Office, and Ms. Yu Yao, Representative of Asian Region, Willis Insurance Brokers Co., Ltd., which is one of the world’s largest insurance brokerage companies. The speakers introduced the services and resources provided by their respective organizations. Further, Mr. Simon Sloane, Partner of Fieldfisher LLP(London) and Mr. Henry Fung, Partner of Shipping Sector, Hong Kong Office of Holman Fenwick Willan LLP, one of the largest British shipping law firms, shared a number of practical issues and solutions. Speakers from Mainland of China’s maritime and legal service sectors include Captain Cai Meijiang, Council Member of Mainland of China Institute of Navigation and former Vice General Manager, COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers Co., Ltd., who discussed the current hot topics and the legal dilemma of shipowners. Mr. Wilson Wang, Partner of Wang Jing & GH Law Firm, Ms. Huang Sufang, Partner of Dentons Law Firm, and Ms. Cassie Liu, Partner of Wintell & Co Law Firm gave speeches respectively on such practical issues as evidence, right to lien, ship insurance, etc.

The seminar was very lively. Even if it was convened both online and offline, it could not stop the guests from communicating with each other enthusiastically. And discussions were so heated that the host had to interrupt from time to time in order to catch up with the schedule. This reveals that there is still ample room for mutual exchange and resolution of problems in the maritime legal service sector between Mainland of China and the UK. Finally, Mr. Zhao Shuzhou, Deputy President of Guangdong Shipping Law Research Institute of Guangdong Law Society and Partner of Jingtian & Gongcheng Law Firm Guangzhou Office made a summary and delivered the closing speech.

The successful convening by Wang Jing & GH Law Firm of this Seminar as a commemorative activity of the 50th Anniversary of Sino-British relations at ambassadorial level serves as a recognition of the 30-year long devotion by Mr. Wang Jing to the maritime legal services, his good connection with British arbitrators, insurance companies and other shipping institutions, and the remarkable achievements he has made in promoting communications and cooperation between Mainland of China and the UK in maritime legal services over the years. Looking ahead, Wang Jing & GH will continue to forge ahead and make greater contributions for improving the professional level of shipping legal services and expanding communication.

Maritime and Admiralty Team

The Maritime and Admiralty Team was set up and headed by Mr. Wang Jing with over 30-year experience practicing in foreign-related maritime field and Mr. Wilson Wang qualified in Mainland of China and England and Wales. The Team comprises experienced legal professionals including partners, associates and consultants all with profound knowledge in the laws and judicial practice in Mainland of China, the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions. The members of the Team, who have creative mindsets and capabilities to handle multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional matters, have expertise in handling cross-border transactions, dispute resolution and other complex legal issues. The Team provides dispute resolution and consultancy services related to vessels and cargo transportation to shipowners, operators, brokers, charterers, underwriters, P&I clubs, navigation channel engineering companies, trading companies, shipping agents, port operators, and logistics companies, etc. Besides, it also provides legal services relating to the construction, financing and lease of ports, ships, offshore engineering and other non-contentious matters.