The 10th China-Spain Forum was successfully held in Madrid, Spain, from February 5 to 6. Centered on the theme Cooperation in a Changing World: China and Spain Jointly Address Global Challenges, the event gathered over 150 delegates from governments, think tanks, enterprises and media institutions of both countries. In-depth discussions were conducted on topics including sports-driven people-to-people connectivity, law as the cornerstone of cooperation, and integrated economic and trade cooperation for mutual benefit.

Partner Jian GUAN, Managing Partner of Beijing Grandwin Law Firm, was invited to this grand event. He delivered a keynote speech under the sub-theme of Joint Development of Third-Party Markets, International Commercial Mediation and Arbitration at the roundtable session themed Law Consolidates the Foundation of Cooperation. Drawing on extensive practical experience in cross-border commercial legal services, he proposed professional law-based solutions for Chinese and Spanish enterprises to jointly explore third-party markets, fully demonstrating the firm’s professional accumulation and industry influence in the field of cross-border commercial legal services.

As one of the core themes of the forum, the session on law consolidating cooperation foundations covered key areas including investment access, digital trade compliance, third-party market cooperation, and international commercial dispute resolution. It brought together senior experts and representatives from legal circles, business communities and government authorities of China and Spain, aiming to shore up institutional foundations for bilateral economic and trade cooperation through the rule of law, and advance deeper and broader bilateral cooperation.

As a senior Chinese representative specializing in cross-border commercial legal services, Partner Jian GUAN participated in thematic discussions. He exchanged views with professionals from renowned international legal service institutions including Garrigues of Spain, as well as prestigious domestic legal scholars, putting forward constructive suggestions on legal safeguards for China-Spain cooperation in third-party markets.

In his keynote speech, against the backdrop of complex and volatile global economic and trade landscape, Partner Jian GUAN elaborated three core perspectives on joint exploration of third-party markets by Chinese and Spanish enterprises.

First, joint development of third-party markets stands at an opportune moment with tremendous potential. He pointed out that amid rising unilateralism and protectionism, Chinese enterprises face numerous barriers in overseas expansion, while Spanish enterprises are in urgent need of green transition and industrial upgrading. Spain boasts profound historical ties and well-established market networks in Latin America and other regions, whereas China holds distinct advantages in production capacity, technology and capital in sectors including infrastructure construction, high-end manufacturing and green energy. With complementary strengths between the two sides, institutional hurdles for their joint exploration of third-party markets remain relatively few, making such cooperation a viable breakthrough amid the current global economic and trade challenges.

Second, effective application of international commercial dispute resolution mechanisms shall underpin cooperation in third-party markets. Partner Jian GUAN analyzed that most projects in third-party markets are located in Africa, South America and other regions, where local judicial resources and procedural efficiency are often limited. Spain boasts mature commercial arbitration and mediation platforms such as the Madrid International Arbitration Center. Meanwhile, China has established a holistic multi-tier mechanism for international commercial dispute resolution. The promulgation of the Regulations on Commercial Mediation has filled legal gaps in the field of commercial mediation. By leveraging institutional advantages and professional resources from mature legal jurisdictions, China and Spain may jointly enhance predictability and enforceability of dispute resolution.

Third, he put forward three concrete approaches to deepening China-Spain legal cooperation. To begin with, jointly build legal service platforms and databases targeting third-party markets in Latin America, Africa and other regions to reduce corporate compliance costs. Secondly, strengthen exchanges between mediation and arbitration institutions of the two countries, and facilitate the establishment of joint teams of Chinese and Spanish legal experts dedicated to cross-border dispute settlement. Lastly, deepen bilateral judicial mutual assistance, and jointly cultivate interdisciplinary legal talents proficient in Chinese and Spanish laws as well as international rules to reserve intellectual resources for long-term cooperation.

Rooted in the reality of China-Spain cooperation and aligned with legal demands of enterprises’ cross-border operations, Partner Jian GUAN’s speech put forward practical and forward-looking solutions, which gained high recognition and widespread resonance among participating guests.

As the professional platform where Partner Jian GUAN has long practiced cross-border commercial legal services, Beijing Grandwin Law Firm possesses rich practical experience in cross-border commercial dispute resolution, international investment and trade compliance, and legal services for third-party market cooperation. Equipped with a dedicated professional legal team, the firm is capable of providing full-process, integrated legal support for enterprises’ overseas expansion and cross-border cooperation. His keynote address epitomizes Grandwin Law Firm’s years of dedicated practice in cross-border commercial legal services and continuous commitment to legal safeguards for China-foreign economic and trade cooperation.

The China-Spain Forum serves as a pivotal platform for exchanges and cooperation between the two nations. This session has forged consensus and built bridges for bilateral economic and trade cooperation. The participation of Partner Jian GUAN and Beijing Grandwin Law Firm has contributed professional legal wisdom for Chinese and Spanish enterprises’ joint exploration of third-party markets, and forged a professional link for in-depth exchanges and cooperation between the legal communities of the two countries.

Moving forward, Grandwin Law Firm will continue to leverage its professional strengths in cross-border commercial legal services, and focus on core businesses including international investment, trade compliance and commercial dispute resolution. It will safeguard cross-border cooperation for more Chinese and foreign enterprises, promote high-quality development of China-Spain economic and trade cooperation under the rule of law through professional legal services, and inject positive legal momentum into the equitable, efficient and sustainable development of global economic and trade cooperation.