From 27 to 29 May 2024, the fifth Baikal International Forum of Partners (shortened as “BIFP”) was held in Irkutsk, Russia. Jingsh Lawyer Wen Guobiao, the Director of the China-Russia Commercial Service Center for the Belt and Road Initiative and the Director of the Jingsh Russia Far East Cooperation Office, was invited to attend BIFP in Russia by Igor Ivanovich Kobzev, the Governor of Irkutsk Oblast.

The event is supported by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, the Governor of the Irkutsk Region Igor Kobzev, the Government of the Irkutsk Region, and other departments. Heads of international, federal and regional government agencies, business support institutions, banking institutions and funds, state corporations and major holdings, scientific and diplomatic structures take part in the Forum as speakers. A significant part of the Forum's business program will be dedicated to international cooperation. This forum is attended by export-oriented enterprises of the Irkutsk region and more than 100 foreign companies from China, Vietnam, Mongolia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and others.

During the meeting, Mr. Wen Guobiao mentioned that Jingsh Law Firm has actively responded to the Belt and Road Initiative for a long time. In April 2024, Jingsh Russia Far East Cooperation Office, the Russian Law Society, universities, business associations, and think tanks jointly initiated and established the China-Russia Commercial Service Center for the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to promote Chinese companies’ investment in Russia to bring employment growth, and robust local economic development to achieve sustainable development goals.

Mr. Wen Guobiao stated that lawyers should safeguard Sino-Russian economic and trade cooperation with diversified legal services and create more value. Specifically, under the background of the Belt and Road Initiative, the value of the legal industry is mainly reflected in the following three points: first, lawyers can promote economic and trade development through legal services; second, lawyers can help optimize the judicial environment; third, lawyers can use their professional advantages to participate in the development of specific industries.

Finally, Mr. Wen Guobiao expressed that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, as well as the first year of the China-Russia Cultural Year. Sino-Russian relations are at their best in history, and both sides face new opportunities for cooperation in the fields of economy, technology, and culture. We believe that in the future, we can continue to adhere to the principles of mutual respect, equality, cooperation, and combine our own advantages to promote the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.

In the future, Jingsh Law Firm will serve as a bridge for fostering robust Sino-Russian neighborly friendship. Through our China-Russia Commercial Service Center for the Belt and Road Initiative, we are dedicated to facilitating a dynamic exchange of culture and driving forward impactful collaborations between two countries.