Editor’s note:

On August 30, 2019, the Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone (hereinafter referred to as "Kunming Area") was formally inaugurated. Over the past year, the Kunming Area has been centering on the development of economy, continuously optimizing the business environment and promoting the transformation and upgrading of industrial structure. It has actively integrated into the construction of Belt and Road Initiative, and strengthened international cooperation with other countries. To review what Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone has achieved, the Kunming Information Hub specially launches a talk show called Global Opinions of Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, and invites overseas people to give their opinions about the Kunming Area, discover new paths for future development and explore more opportunities for sino-foreign economic and trade cooperation.

Since China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone has established last year, courts, procuratorates, lawyers associations and other legal institutions have been introduced in Kunming Area to meet the needs of enterprises and innovate the service mode of commercial arbitration. To play Kunming's role as a radiation centre of opening to South Asia and Southeast Asia, Kunming National Economic and Technological Development Zone International Commercial Arbitration Service Center was set up. The Center is committed to providing a platform for international commercial arbitration services for Chinese and foreign enterprises, organizations and individuals, initiate to "Go global and Bring in". It has provided adjudication and services for international commercial dispute cases and further strengthened the communication between Kunming Area and Southeast Asian and South Asian countries.

Phil Archer from the United States, who is a teacher at Yunnan Minzu University, has visited the center. He thinks that the center can provide legal knowledge and language support for Chinese and foreign enterprises to settle in Kunming area.

"As foreigners coming to China, we don’t know how to do that and that all seems very complex and foreign to us.” In the exclusive interview, Mr. Archer said that when foreign enterprises consider entering emerging markets, they will inevitably encounter many problems. However, the professional staff here will provide international commercial arbitration services, arbitration legal knowledge and investment policy consultation.

Mr. Archer praised the establishment of the center in Kunming Area. He thinks that it provides professional international legal services for Chinese and foreign enterprises to go global and bring in.

Kunming Area is the largest and widest one among three areas of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone. Mr. Archer fully affirms the advantage of Kunming Area. “Kunming Area provides a lot of economic incentives and tax breaks for foreign enterprise. Business people from the United States or other countries will be happy to invest here.”

At present, Kunming area focuses on high-end manufacturing, biological industry, aviation logistics, digital economy and other industries, and has introduced a number of major projects with over 100 million investment.

"I hope there will be some medical technology companies and information technology companies in Kunming area." Mr. Archer is optimistic about the development potential here. He also believes that the center can provide overseas enterprises with international commercial arbitration services, arbitration legal knowledge and help them enter Kunming market easily.

In addition, Mr. Archer hopes that Kunming Area can strengthen its external publicity, make overseas high-tech enterprises understand the broad development prospects here, and come to explore the market.

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(Editors: Rachel, Christine)