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Kate Baillie, Country Manager of Arion Legal, was honoured to be asked to attend and speak at the Symposium on China – South Asia, Southeast Asia Commercial Legal Cooperation , which was part of the 11th China-South Asia Business Forum, held in Kunming, PR China from 11-14 June 2016.
The Symposium, which was hosted by the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), Kunming Chamber, and sponsored by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry, brought together professionals from various South Asia and Southeast Asia countries to share their experiences and expertise under the theme “Deepening Regional Cooperation and Strengthening Legal Risk Prevention of Overseas Investment”.
Kate Baillie spoke as part of the Seminar on Investment Risk Prevention and Economic and Trade Dispute Settlement about the risks facing foreign investors in Lao PDR and provided practical examples of how such risks could be minimised and managed, for example, through conducting a thorough due diligence on business partners and applicable laws, regulations and local practice and by ensuring contracts contain detailed termination and dispute resolution clauses. Kate also talked about the advantages of using arbitration to resolve economic disputes, and highlighted the importance of Investment Treaties (such as bilateral investment treaties and free trade agreements) in providing investor protections (such as protection against State expropriation of assets without proper compensation) and dispute resolution processes (known as investor-state dispute settlement).
Additionally, and as part of the Symposium, the CCPIT (Yunnan) South Asia, Southeast Asia Legal Service Centre was launched. This centre will link up Yunnan investors with legal professionals who have specialised knowledge on the South Asia and Southeast Asia country into which they want to invest.
All in all it was a hugely successful event, and Arion Legal is thankful to CCOIC and CCPIT to inviting us to be a part of it. We look forward to joining the event next year!
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