On January 18, 2013, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the China-Africa Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry jointly held aSeminar entitled “Sino-Africa Commerce and Trade Service Platform” in Beijing. More than 20 associations that provide services in Sino-African commerce and trade participated in the seminar, includingthe Ministry of Commerce of China, CCPIT and some of its sub-centers, the Sino-Africa Foundation, COSCO Logistics and Huawei International Security Company. Ms. Catherine Guo, Mr. Gong Piguo, Mr. Edward Huang and Mr. Zhou Zhenguo represented King and Capital in this seminar.

Mr. Gong Piguo made a speech as one ofthe lawyers’representatives. He introduced the situation of King and Capital, especially the African Legal Affairs Center, and provided suggestions on the establishment and development of the service platform of Sino-African commerce and trade. The establishment and the work of the African Legal Affairs Center obtained recognition and praise from the officers of the associations participated in the seminar.

Strengthening Sino-African cooperation in commerce and trade is important in the “Going Out” strategy. Recently, more and more enterprises have “gone into” Africa to invest and seek for opportunities. However, with the specialised African history, culture and laws, Chinese enterprises have encountered a variety of complex problems in the commerce and trade business. Along with the development of countries within Africa, the management of operations in Africa has become more and more international and standardized. Nonetheless, there is a lack of capable and large-scale service organizations that can provide international and standardized services in mainland China. Setting up the “Sino-Africa comprehensive commerce and trade service platform” in the fields of finance, law, insurance, logistics and consulting by capable organizations in such fields and providing a full range of services to Chinese enterprises “going into” Africa in standard operation, risk prevention and dispute resolution is an important measure to implement the spirit of “changing the work style and resolve practical problems,” and to promote Sino-African cooperation in commerce and trade. All the officers participating in the seminar recognized the necessity and importance of the establishment of the service platform and discussed several practical issues in the establishment and development of the service platform.