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China has officially acceded to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation of Public Documents as of 8th March 2023. This accession marks a pivotal moment in streamlining the authentication process for public documents, heralding a new era of efficiency and accessibility for cross-border transactions and legal affairs. Understanding the Hague Convention The Hague Convention, established in 1961, aims to simplify the authentication of public documents to be used abroad. Before China's accession, individuals and entities engaging in cross-border activities often faced the cumbersome process of legalisation, requiring multiple levels of authentication from both the issuing country and the receiving country's diplomatic missions. This arduous process often led to delays and increased administrative burdens. Transformation of Document Authentication in China With China's accession to the Hague Convention, the authentication of public documents is set to undergo a remarkable transformation. Public documents such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, academic transcripts, and business registrations will no longer require the traditional legalisation process involving consular stamps and endorsements. Instead, these documents will be certified with an "apostille," a standardized certificate recognized by all member countries of the Hague Convention. This streamlined approach promises expedited authentication procedures, saving time, resources, and mitigating bureaucratic hurdles. Impact on Cross-Border Scenarios The implications of China's accession to the Hague Convention extend far beyond the realm of legal formalities. Ordinary individuals, businesses, and legal entities involved in cross-border transactions and international engagements stand to benefit significantly. Here's how: Efficiency and Convenience: The simplified authentication process means quicker turnaround times for document verification, enabling smoother transactions and reducing administrative complexities. Cost-Effectiveness: By eliminating the need for multiple layers of authentication, individuals and organizations will save on associated costs, making cross-border engagements more economically feasible. Enhanced Legal Certainty: The apostille system enhances legal certainty and transparency, fostering greater trust and confidence in the authenticity of public documents across borders. Facilitated International Collaboration: With streamlined document authentication procedures, collaborations, partnerships, and exchanges between China and other member countries of the Hague Convention are poised to flourish, promoting greater global cooperation and understanding. Conclusion China's accession to the Hague Convention represents a significant milestone in the global harmonization of legal procedures and standards. By embracing the principles of efficiency, transparency, and accessibility, China reaffirms its commitment to fostering international cooperation and facilitating cross-border engagements. As we look ahead, we anticipate the tangible benefits that this historic development will bring to individuals, businesses, and institutions navigating the complexities of a rapidly evolving global landscape. Together, let us embrace this new chapter of enhanced collaboration and opportunity on the world stage.

All colleagues of Jomec whish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year of the Dragon. We thank you for your support and shall continue providing clients with quality professional services in cross-border M&A and overseas business compliance for European-China related business.

Last Friday, Jomec successfully organized the China-Europe Corporate Law Conference 2023 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This was the first major event for Jomec since it was upgraded to a China-Europe corporate law firm. The main objective of the conference was to deepen clients' understanding of company formation and compliance operations, and also to strengthen the ties between clients and their partner lawyers across Europe. During the conference, five European partner lawyers from the Jomec Pan-European Lawyer Network gave engaging presentations covering key aspects of national corporate law, including different types of legal entities, prerequisites for company formation, incorporation procedures, and related aspects of corporate governance. The five speakers were Glenn Haulussy from the Netherlands, Lourdes Guivernau Aguadé from Spain, Roman Jüngling from Germany, Roberto Nicolini from Italy, and Yadhira STOYANOVITC from France. Finally, Mr. Guo Yufang, Chairman of Jomec, briefly introduced the development of Jomec in light of the current international situation and Sino-European relations, and emphasized the key points to be grasped and paid attention to in the process of participating in cross-border investment and M&A, as well as in overseas operation from the classic cases in the past. The meeting attracted many local Chinese business leaders and business representatives, who actively discussed the legal matters involved in their daily operation, and the meeting was full of warm discussion atmosphere. In the future, Jomec hopes to continue to organize more offline meetings with diversied topics to further strengthen the connection between cooperative lawyers and Jomo's clients all over Europe, so as to provide better services to our clients.

29th May 2014, President of Jomec and Managing Partner of Clairfield International (China), Mr. Yufang Guo was invited to attend the seminar in Daqing and gave a thematic speech. Yufang Guo was the only foreign guest invited by Daqing to speak at their seminar, with local think tanks to discuss the city’s development strategy, in which globalization is a key theme. His speech topic is “The Strategy and Operations of Global Technology M&A”. It is pointed in the speech by Yufang Guo that, in the past thirty years, China is taking a bigger role in the international market evidently. At present, on the one hand, products made in China have been found everywhere; on the other hand, China has the world’s largest foreign currency reserve nowadays. To European countries, there have been great changes in the image of China, and it has also resulted in a new international market structure. By analyzing the whole world market, we think that the world economy consists of two aspects: the first is the globalization of China economy, and the second is the sinicization of global economy. Any multinational companies who want to keep the market position, it is not possible for them to ignore the China market. At the same time, all multinational companies and companies from western countries who want to keep the market position must aim at China markets. In this sense, Yufang Guo proposed several suggestions during the speech, for China, Chinese companies as well as Chinese institutions such as regional high-tech zones regarding the actions they can take for this economic trend.

Jomec, as the exclusive partner of China business of Clairfield International, together with its international partners from across Europe and Australia, took a starring role at the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), China’s largest investment fair. The fair took place in Xiamen on September 8th-10th and during those three days, Clairfield was the protagonist of several events. Clairfield events included an M&A forum, participation in country panels, investor matchmaking, a seminar, and a reception, in addition to a permanent booth. With over 60,000 attendees including corporations, government representatives, and investors, and a theme of “going global”, CIFIT was the ideal launching pad for Clairfield partners to connect with cash-rich Chinese companies that are interested in investing in Europe and elsewhere. Mr. Guo, Chairman of Jomec and managing partner of Clairfield China, believes that China is at a watershed moment. “At this moment in history, China’s economy is becoming globalized while the global economy is becoming focused on China,” says Mr. Guo.“ The current strategic task of Chinese companies is to acquire essential technologies and internationalize their brand names as well as lift their management to a world level through M&A.” After the conference in Xiamen, Clairfield delegation went on the road to Shanghai for meetings with business and government leaders. Clairfield hosted a symposium with high-ranking executives of funds, industrial corporations, and investment banks. The Clairfield delegation visited Shanghai’s Chamber of International Commerce and met with several of its member companies. Clairfield also visited Great Wall Asset Management, one of the largest state-owned financial institutions in China. Clairfield was recently selected as an exclusive partner of Great Wall to promote Chinese outbound investment and M&A. Please Click to view or download the full Clairfield Review for the China Trip

Jomec, as the exclusive managing partner of China business of Clairfield International, represented Clairfield International and signed the strategic cooperation agreement with Yangpu Technology Business Incubator (hereinafter referred to as “Yangpu”) in Shanghai on 27 October 2014. The Chairman of Jomec, Mr. Yufang Guo and the General Manager of Yangpu, Mr. Jihua Xie, on behalf of the two sides attended the signing ceremony, under the witness of Mrs. Lilianne Ploumen, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. Shanghai Yangpu Technology Business Incubator, founded in 1997, is a National High-Tech Innovation Service Center, SME Public Service Platform, honored as Shanghai technical innovation enterprise, Shanghai Civilized Unit. As one of the leading business incubator in China, Yangpu has a unique channel for enterprises’ long-term development. In order for enterprises to survive, Yangpu provides a series of services for the entrepreneur, including entrepreneurship mentor advising, market expanding service, financing service, human resources service, project declaration service, professional academy assistance, and promoting enterprise in global scope so on so forth. In addition, Yangpu often participates in innovative competitive to encourage entrepreneurs. Through the signing of the strategic cooperation agreement, Clairfield International and Yangpu have become important business partners, and the joint force is going to conduct cooperation in the international technology incubation, M&A and broader areas. Both parties will share clients and information, and enter into the collaboration in the specific fields including cross-border technology transfer and M&A, M&A financing, overseas IPO, interim management, international assets/equity trading platform, financial services training, etc.

In March 2015, President of Jomec and Managing Partner of Clairfield International (China), Mr. Yufang Guo was invited to an interview with the famous German magazine ‘Entrepreneur (Unternehmeredition)’ regarding a series of topics related to the Chinese entrepreneur’s activity in overseas investment and M&A. The magazine ‘Entrepreneur’ is one of the most successful, influential and professional news platforms for small and middle enterprises in Germany. Its topics are mainly covering corporate finance, M&A and international expansion. Mr. Yufang Guo has nearly 30 years of experience in China-Europe cross-border M&A, and insights towards the reasons behind the failures of various cross-border M&A cases. During the interview, he puts forward several opinions on the problems encountered by the Chinese entrepreneurs during the cross-border M&A, and furthermore his suggestions and expectations on China’s overseas M&A. He considers that the Chinese entrepreneurs are blind during the outbound investment. On the other hand either the foreign or Chinese advisor who serves the Chinese entrepreneur always fails to achieve its proper role mainly due to the business culture difference. Along with the deepening of China-EU trade and technical communication, the comprehensive strategic cooperation between Chinese and European enterprises shall be realized on a large scale, at this point only the team of advisors who can really play the role as a bridge in between are able to assist the Chinese enterprises to achieve successful M&A deals, and realize the maximum enterprise value during the post-merger integration. The content of this interview has been published in the March 2015 issue of ‘Entrepreneur (Unternehmeredition)’ Click for online reading (in German)

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of Opening Direct Shipping Lines between Huanghua harbor and Europe (Rotterdam and/or other harbors) Project was signed by Jomec Investment Company and the Government of Bohai New Area during the forum jointly held by Hebei Province and South Holland Province on 29th September 2016. In accordance with the Memorandum, the Parties agreed to start the PPP (public-private partnership model) project between Bohai New Area and city of Rotterdam. Meanwhile, the Parties have planned to jointly develop the direct routes between Huanghua harbor and other European harbors. The government of Bohai New Area and Jomec Investment Company also signed a Memorandum to build a general aviation industrial park together. Since the friendly relations established in 2007, Hebei Province and South Holland Province have made fruitful cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, water conservancy, environmental protection, education and agriculture. In May 2016, two provinces signed the “Memorandum of Cooperation between Hebei Province and South Holland Province 2016-2020”, which provided a blueprint for the cooperation in next five years. Governor of South Holland Province, Mr. Smit, claimed he wishes that two provinces should push for broader and deeper cooperation in the field of water pollution control, soil remediation, and facility agriculture. Images from the Bohai New Area government website

Jomec International, as the financial advisor of the Chinese investor, successfully assisted the client in acquisition of Holiday Inn Leiden (a four-star hotel in the Netherlands). Jomec International has rendered a full set of buyer-side advisory service, including project investigation, valuation, offer drafting, negotiation etc, until the close of the transaction. Holiday Inn Leiden has been standing by the city Leiden since 1968, as the first hotel in the Europe under the name of “Holiday Inn”. The acquisition cover the Holiday Inn Leiden property, Leiden Convention Center and the access to the land in the surrounding areas. This will be the first footprint of the Chinese investor in Europe. Considering the complementarity in the advantages between hospitality and the Chinese investor’s own business, the Chinese investor has the confidence to inject fresh blood in to the historical hotel, and boot the revenue and profitability of the hotel. “With the globalization trend of Chinese economy, an increasing number of Chinese enterprises began to seek high-grade assets with a global horizon. Although Chinese foreign exchange policy is becoming more stringent, the global M&A trend will not change fundamentally, the successful acquisition of Holiday Inn Leiden is a very good example. Under this context, we will continue to deliver the best outcomes for our clients through our extensive experience in China-related deals” Said by the head of Jomec International Mr. Yufang Guo.

Beijing is the starting point of the “Belt and Road”, and Rotterdam, the Netherlands is the end of the “Belt and Road”. On June 22, the Sino-Dutch “the Belt and Road” Leiden business seminar was held in Holiday Inn Leiden, by Jomec Group and the Sino-Dutch “the Belt and Road” Development Center. The seminar focuses on how “the Belt and Road” between China and the Netherlands will promote the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries and mobilize the Sino-Dutch knowledge and production capacity for the benefits of the two countries. The Chinese and Dutch government officials and civil societies attending the meeting held extensive discussions on a few sensitive topics that they are currently exposed to in the “Belt and Road” economic and trade activities. The participants were enthusiastic and heated, and expressed enlightening views from different angles on how to promote “the Belt and Road” Initiative. The seminar was hosted by Guo Yufang, Chairman of Jomec Group. Many Dutch business representatives delivered speeches at the meeting. Cabooter Europe-China Specialist Peter introduced the important role of the EU-China Specialist in the “Belt and Road”. Ms. Esther, a partner of Jomec, introduced the relevant legal issues and solutions for the “Belt and Road” European and Chinese companies. Mr. Maarten, the partner of Jomec, introduced the problems and solutions of the Sino-Dutch mergers and acquisitions in the “Belt and Road”. Director of the Municipal Development and Economics Agency, Henk, introduced the development and opportunities of the Dutch real estate industry. Jan Boone introduced the solutions for the Dutch renewable energy industry and China’s contribution to the renewable energy industry. Two panel discussions were also held in the forum. The first focusing on political issues, while the other targets on business issues.

From November 19th to 25th, 2019, Jomec Group arranged a series of investment and project match-making activities during the Langfang Aviation Economic Zone Delegation team’s visit in Germany and France, and accurately introduced the delegation team to the world. Besides, Langfang delegation team invites worldwide merchants to join the “5 · 18” Economic Fair of Langfang in 2020. The Global (Germany) Investment Promotion Conference of Langfang Aviation Economic Zone organized by Jomec Group and hosted by the Chairman Mr. Yufang Guo was successfully held in Cologne, Germany on November 20. With its unique influence and well-known brandname in the industry, Jomec Group invited more than 20 leading aviation entrepreneurs from well-known business associations from Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and other countries to participate in the conference. During the conference, the Langfang investment delegation team released the industrial development direction and key cooperation projects of this Aviation Economic Zone and Pilot Free Trade Zone. Langfang Airport Economic Zone Development and Construction Co., Ltd. has signed strategic cooperation memorandums with Austrian HB Aviation International company which is specialized in designing and manufacturing general aircrafts and Netherlands Aircraft Company N.V. which is the former Dutch Fokker Aircraft Group. At the same time, the guests and the investment delegation conducted extensive and in-depth docking exchanges, and stated that they would arrange a trip to Langfang for field investment inspections as soon as possible, and fully implement the cooperation results released by the investment invitation and project matchmaking conference. In addition, following the principle of laying a good foundation for the development and construction of a well-structured Langfang International Airport Economic Zone, and realizing a comprehensive promotion of Langfang International Airport Economic Zone and a free trade pilot zone, and effective investment promotion, Jomec Group also successfully organized the following activities: A field inspection of the operation status and supporting facilities of Dusseldorf Airport in Germany. Jomec Group assisted the Langfang delegation to absorb the advanced experience and practices of airport construction in developed countries; A visit to the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) headquarter in Cologne, Germany. Mr. Frank Steffens, Head of EASA International Cooperation Department, Mr. Bas van der Weide, Technical Cooperation Officer of EASA International Cooperation, and Mr. Paul Hatton, Senior Project Certification Manager of Validation Process General Aviation of EASA Certification, had hosted the delegation and carried out an in-depth discussion on aviation technology innovation and professional fields in Langfang and practical cooperation in training; A field visit to the Lufthansa Full Flight Simulator Training Center in Germany. Jomec assisted the Langfang delegation team to learn more about the development direction, investment scale, management method and business model of the FFS training center, and invited the senior training instructor of Lufthansa Pilot Training Center Rove Black to visit the Langfang Airport Economic Zone for information exchange and techinical guidance; Pierre Bordeaux, former deputy mayor of Courbevoie, France, and professor of the University of Paris in France, introduced the investment opportunities and developing strategies of Charles de Gaulle Airport City in France to the Langfang delegation team, and conducted in-depth discussions on future development cooperation.

On November 28, 2019, the Sino Dutch Business Development Seminar jointly organized by the Confucius Institute of Groningen, Hanze University of Applied Sciences and Saxion University of Technology was held in Groningen’s well-known sensor application research and development center ID3AS. The seminar is divided into three sections: Male Grooming, Elderly care & Domotics, and Agricultural opportunities in China. Well-known universities from the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom (such as Wageningen University & Research) and more than 30 business representatives (such as Philips) participated in the seminar. The chairman of Jomec investment, Mr. Yufang Guo was also invited and gave a wonderful speech in the Chinese agricultural business opportunity section. He gave a detailed introduction on the Sino Dutch Smart City Agriculture Project and proposed various feasible business plans and opportunities for future development. Participating companies and representatives listened carefully to Mr. Yufang Guo’s introduction to the project. The heated discussion of this project lasted for nearly two hours. Sino Dutch Smart City Agriculture Project aims to introduce the advanced Dutch smart agriculture technology and the modern concepts of urban agriculture to the Chinese metropolis. With the help of Dutch advanced and mature high-tech greenhouse technology, each Chinese household in metropolis are able to have their customized greenhouse on the balcony. The plan is to build a fully automated and intelligent self-sufficient vegetable or fruit greenhouse on the balcony in the modern cities in China. In this regard, well-known agrictural experts in the industry gave constructive suggestions, and everyone agreed that the landing of this project has great feasibility and many possibilities for future development. They highly recognized that this project is leading the dutch high-tech urban farming to enter into China. After the seminar, many participating experts took the initiative to have a more in-depth discussion with Mr. Yufang Guo on the Sino Dutch city smart agriculture project. At the same time, Mr. Yufang Guo also warmly invited the participating enterprises and representatives to participate the Chinese Tourism Development Conference in June, 2020. Several representatives of participating enterprises immediately signed up and showed great interests. In addition, during the business matching session of the seminar, both Mr. Yufang Guo and the project experts and operating companies of the Dutch smart agriculture landing in East Germany expressed their intentions for future cooperation and development.