Suzhou plans to establish a pilot area for foreign-related legal services amid the city’s efforts to foster a business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized, according to a press conference on March 20.

The initiative’s action plan focuses on developing a legal service center in the Suzhou area of the Jiangsu Pilot Free Trade Zone, transforming it into a hub for foreign-related legal service providers, and also attracting more providers specializing in finance, securities, intellectual property rights, international trade, mergers and acquisitions.

In creating a legal service platform, Suzhou intends to select the first batch of over 200 organizations from more than 50 countries and regions, helping enterprises and individuals find appropriate legal service providers in a timely manner. The platform will be accessible online by the end of March and via the government services app.

By next year, Suzhou plans to establish a talent pool of at least 150 foreign-related lawyers and 100 foreign-related notaries, alongside training or introducing 15 high-level professionals in international commercial arbitration.

The press conference also announced the top 10 typical cases of advancing foreign-related rule of law in the city, including equity confirmation, environmental compliance guidance, intellectual property protection, and cross-border cooperation.