China Business Lawyer for Foreigners & Expats

English-speaking partner at Beijing Zhongyin Law Firm, helping foreigners, expats and international companies navigate Chinese law — from setting up a business and hiring staff, to resolving disputes and enforcing contracts.

🇬🇧 Native-level English · 🇨🇳 Based in Beijing · ⚖️ Partner & Arbitrator

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When Do Foreigners Need a Chinese Lawyer?

Chinese law is complex, and contracts, labor rules and company regulations work differently than in most Western jurisdictions. You may need legal support if you are:

• Setting up a business in China — WFOE, representative office, joint venture, or buying into an existing company
• Hiring or dismissing staff — China’s labor law is heavily employee-protective; getting it wrong is expensive
• Signing contracts with Chinese companies — enforcement of a Chinese judgment or arbitration award is very different from what you know at home
• Facing a dispute — unpaid invoices, broken contracts, shareholder conflicts, IP infringement
• Investing in or acquiring a Chinese company — due diligence and deal structuring matter more than you think
• Dealing with regulators — securities, fund registration, licensing, compliance investigations
• Having employment or business problems yourself as an expat — contracts, severance, equity, non-compete clauses

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How We Help International Clients

🇨🇳 Business Setup & Foreign Investment

• WFOE / JV / rep office establishment, capital structure, approvals
• Shareholder agreements and articles of association (bilingual)
• Regulatory licenses and ongoing compliance

📋 China Employment Law

• Employment contracts and handbooks for expat and local staff
• Termination, severance, non-compete and IP assignment
• Senior executive and cross-border secondment arrangements

⚖️ Dispute Resolution & Enforcement

• Commercial litigation in Chinese courts (we handle all proceedings in Chinese on your behalf)
• Arbitration before CIETAC, BAC and other major institutions
• Enforcement of judgments and awards, including asset tracing
• Negotiation and settlement before formal proceedings

🔍 Due Diligence & M&A

• Legal due diligence on Chinese counterparties and targets
• Deal structuring, transaction documents, closing and post-closing
• Listed company acquisitions and NEEQ transactions

🏦 Capital Markets & Private Equity

• IPO and NEEQ listing support
• Private equity fund registration, product filing and exit
• Bond issuance and securities compliance

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Why Jiao Liang

• Partner at Beijing Zhongyin Law Firm — one of China’s largest and oldest law firms (founded 1993, 30+ offices nationwide)
• 10+ years in commercial disputes, private equity, M&A and compliance
• Former investment bank experience and service on the firm’s securities review committee
• Arbitrator at Weihai Arbitration Commission and Beihai Arbitration Commission
• International client experience — advised Apple Inc., IHG and LEE
• English as a working language (TEM-8), comfortable advising international clients directly

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Featured in Chambers & Partners

Jiao Liang is a co-author of the China chapter of the Chambers Global Practice Guide: Technology M&A 2026, published by Chambers and Partners — the world’s leading legal directory.

The chapter analyzes the year’s defining trends in Chinese tech M&A, including semiconductor, AI, industrial software, data infrastructure, new energy and advanced manufacturing deals.

“A rigorous and insightful overview of the M&A landscape in China’s most dynamic sectors.”

👉 Read the full analysis: Technology M&A 2026 — China Chapter (published on chambers.com)

👉 Read our summary on this site

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Selected Results

• RMB 2.65 billion restructuring & acquisition of a listed company, protecting 36,900+ minority shareholders
• RMB 200+ million share repurchase claim — target company fully exempted in CIETAC arbitration
• RMB 167.5 million medium-term notes issuance for a municipal SOE
• Retrial reversals in multiple commercial cases before provincial high courts
• Full acquittal of repurchase liability for a medical device company in a VAM dispute

Details are anonymized to protect client confidentiality.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you communicate fully in English?

Yes. English is a working language for our team (TEM-8 certified). All client communications, documents and court/arbitration filings can be handled bilingually. Court proceedings are conducted in Chinese by us on your behalf.

I am an expat in China. Do I need a Chinese lawyer for my employment contract?

If your contract is governed by Chinese law, very likely yes. Chinese labor law differs substantially from Western systems — notice periods, severance calculation, non-compete validity and IP ownership clauses all have specific rules. A few thousand RMB of advice can save you from serious liability.

I want to set up a company in China. What is the fastest legal structure?

For most foreign investors, a WFOE (Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise) is the standard choice — you keep full control and can hire staff, invoice in RMB and repatriate profits. We handle registration, capital planning, licensing and ongoing compliance. Typical timeline is 4–8 weeks.

How do I enforce a contract against a Chinese company?

Your options are: (1) negotiation and settlement, (2) arbitration (often faster and more enforceable internationally, especially under the New York Convention), or (3) litigation in Chinese courts. We assess your documents first and recommend the most cost-effective route — many disputes settle once a credible legal position is asserted.

Is a Chinese court judgment enforceable abroad?

China has limited mutual recognition treaties, but judgments can be enforced in some jurisdictions, and arbitration awards are enforceable in 170+ countries under the New York Convention. That is why we often recommend arbitration clauses for international contracts.

How do you charge?

We offer fixed fees for defined scopes (company setup, contract review, due diligence) and hourly or phased fees for disputes. Initial consultation is free — email us and we will respond within 24 hours.

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Contact

Jiao Liang — Partner, Beijing Zhongyin Law Firm 11F, North Tower, Zhengda Center, 20 Jinhudong Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing

• 📧 Email: [email protected]
• 📱 WeChat: j155387838
• 🏛️ Firm: Beijing Zhongyin Law Firm

We reply to international inquiries in English within 24 hours.