顺势而为，方能行稳致远——访广东环宇京茂律师事务所首席合伙人、主任何培华律师

编者按

40年弹指一挥间。2018年，中国迎来改革开放40周年。改革开放40年来，我国的经济建设取得重大成就，人民生活水平获得极大提高，为经济发展保驾护航的中国律师业自恢复重建至今也获得了长足的发展。

2018年，有一位法律人迎来了他律师执业的第30个年头。在中国律师的发展尤其在涉外法律服务业从无到有再到蓬勃发展的历程中，广东环宇京茂律师事务所首席合伙人、主任何培华律师的名字以及他所代理的“美国公民诉中国马牌烟花爆炸索赔案”、美国对中国“对虾反倾销案”；“广东生益科技公司遭美国337调查案”等重大涉外案件早已成为各大法学院校、涉外研究机构的典型范例并载入了史册。

值此中国改革开放40周年，何培华律师执业30周年之际，我们再次采访了这位仍奋斗在涉外法律服务第一线的中国涉外律师。 

注：1.“美国公民诉中国马牌烟花爆炸索赔案（时间：1993年，结果：为中国挽回经济损失4亿元人民币）”；2.美国对中国“对虾反倾销案（时间：2004年，结果：成功地获得0关税的有利裁决）”；3.广东生益科技公司遭美国337调查案（时间：2008年，结果：最终使美国原告方撤诉，取得了中国企业应对美国337调查史上前所未有的胜利）。 

走近何培华律师 

砥励奋进，夯实基底

“不是我成就了这些重大涉外案件，而是这些重大涉外案件成就了我。”何培华律师总是非常谦逊的对待自己过往的成就和荣誉。在笔者看来，若没有扎实的功底、丰厚的学养、高瞻远瞩的眼光以及充足的准备，即使机遇迎面而来，也会失之交臂。正是何培华律师具备了这些素质，所以在遇到重大涉外案件时，他才能挺身而出力挽狂澜，并能最大限度地维护国家利益，维护当事人的合法权益。我们从他的经历和履历中可见一斑。

何培华律师1957年生于中国大陆的最南端，汉代“海上丝绸之路”始发港之一——广东徐闻，上世纪七十年代他曾下乡插队三年经受磨砺。1978年9月恢复高考后考上了湛江师范学院英语系，毕业后当了四年中学老师。这些经历为他以后从事涉外法律工作打下了坚实的语言基础；1985年，他考取中国政法大学第二学士班，毕业后考入该校研究生院，师从中国著名法学家江平教授；1988年，他通过全国律师资格考试；1989年毕业并获民商法硕士学位。同年开始，他在中国国际贸易促进委员会广东分会和广东对外经济贸易委员会从事多年涉外法律工作，历任副科长、科长、副处长等职。1993年创办广东环宇商务律师事务所，并出任主任一职至今；2000年8月至2001年9月在美国哥伦比亚大学作访问学者；2001年7月至2002年8月在美国加州大学法学院攻读国际商法硕士学位；2002年9月起在中国政法大学研究生院攻读民商法博士学位，仍师从江平教授，并于2005年取得博士学位。可以说，这些丰富的工作和学习经历为何培华律师办理重大涉外案件奠定了坚实的基础。

此外，何培华律师还先后担任《民商法律评论》执行主编；广东省律师协会第七、八届WTO法律专业委员会主任；广东省人大常委会立法顾问；中国政法大学兼职教授；中山大学法学院硕士研究生兼职导师；暨南大学兼职法律硕士研究生导师，厦门大学陈安国际法发展基金讲座教授、国际经济法研究所兼职研究员；中国国际经济法学会常务理事等众多社会职务，在不同的场合和国际舞台上为中国律师发声。

对话何培华律师

名誉侵权，必须担责

赵伟主编：何律师您好！非常感谢您能在百忙中接受我们的这次专访，作为较早从事涉外法律工作的中国律师，可以说在您的执业生涯中，代理的诸多重大涉外案件皆受到多方关注和报道，有的案件已经成为涉外领域的标杆，在此我们已毋庸赘言。我们注意到，2015年，在“甄子丹诉檀冰案”中，您作为香港影星甄子丹的诉讼代理人，帮助其维权并取得了非常圆满的结果。可否在此以一个法律人的角度，与我们分享一下该案。 

何培华律师：好的。依照最高人民法院关于适用《中华人民共和国涉外民事关系法律适用法》若干问题的解释：涉及香港特别行政区、澳门特别行政区的民事关系的适用该法律，所以该案亦属涉外案件。

2012年，内地青年导演耿卫国（檀冰）在与甄子丹方既无合同关系、也无雇佣关系的情况下召开新闻发布会，发表了一系列不实言论，将甄子丹塑造成一个的黑恶人物形象，严重侵害了其名誉权，故我们将耿卫国（檀冰）起诉至法院，诉请：1、耿卫国停止侵权行为；2、在媒体上作出书面赔礼道歉；3、赔偿经济损失和精神损害赔偿500万元；4、承担本案诉讼费、律师费和公证费。

该案经过两次开庭，历经两年多时间，2015年11月17日，北京市海淀区人民法院作出一审判决：檀冰构成名誉侵权，支付甄子丹精神赔偿5万元并书面在媒体致歉。法院经审理认为，耿卫国(檀冰)在不同场合和时间发表的针对甄子丹的言论构成对甄子丹名誉权的侵犯。耿卫国(檀冰)在传播其所称他人提供的与甄子丹相关的信息时，亦未经核实即在公共场合进行传播，其行为构成诽谤。

虽然在赔偿金额上与诉求有很大差距，但法律总算还原了事实和真相，还了被侵害人甄子丹先生一个公道。

与其坐以待毙，不如主动出击

赵伟主编：多年来，您作为诸多涉外案件的代理人为中国企业在海外维权，为中国企业“走出去”保驾护航，在此，我们不能要求您一一讲述。我们了解到，在前几年，您代表广东某企业成功为其挽回经济损失数千万人民币，可否与我们分享以下此案的办案历程？ 

何培华律师：好的。前几年，广东某公司与新加坡某公司发生纠纷，涉及纠纷金额数千万人民币，但新加坡公司却要求该案在伦敦国际仲裁院仲裁，且伦敦国际仲裁院已作出初步裁决。我自1989年在中国国际贸易促进委员会广东分会和广东对外经济贸易委员会工作就一直从事涉外仲裁工作，随立即判断出该案在伦敦国际仲裁院仲裁肯定对我方不利。经过认真审阅双方签署的协议后发现，在双方签订协议约定的仲裁条款中，只有对方的签字，并没有我方的签字，遂提出管辖权异议，该案必须接受中国法律的管辖，这是毋庸置疑的。我们在国内法院对新加坡公司提起诉讼后，新加坡公司聘请的律师也认定该案应适用中国法律，这些我们都做了笔录，并将在法庭上达成适用中国法律的协议及笔录发给了新加坡公司。

伦敦国际仲裁院虽作出初步裁决，但却迟迟未将仲裁结果发给广东某公司，后我国法院作出裁决，认定协议中的仲裁条款无效，现我们已报请最高人民法院审核，此役初战告捷。

在此，我想提醒中国企业在涉外投资和经营活动中，签署协议一定要审慎。对于已在境外提起诉讼或仲裁的案件，一定要聘请有充分涉外法律实务经验、经历的的律师给予专业的指导，切不可匆忙应诉或置之不理，谨慎应诉是最好的应对办法。 

商务未动，规则先行

赵伟主编：作为老一代涉外律师，您还经常在众多国际研讨会上发声，为中国企业“走出去”鼓与呼，为“一带一路”建设建言献策，请问您对中国企业“走出去”有哪方面的思考和建议？ 

何培华律师：近年来，随着全球经济一体化进程的逐步推进和中国“一带一路”建设的步伐加快，中国企业在“走出去”过程中遭遇不公平待遇的案件屡有发生。

我们环宇京茂律所，对于“一带一路”建设非常重视，并对“一带一路”沿线国家尤其东南亚一代法律环境进行了深入研究。作为中国国际经济法学会的常务理事，每年度的年会我都会参加，在2017年年会中，我重点提出：“一带一路”建设应建立一个公平、公开、公正的游戏规则，并严格按规则执行，意旨就是，无论遇到任何阻碍，也要优先执行该规则。当前，“一带一路”建设虽如火如荼，但却还未形成一个整体的法律框架或公约，而目前学界大部分讨论的是国与国之间的协议，当前应重点关注并解决共建“一带一路”法律服务框架问题，希望各级有关领导能对此问题引起足够重视。 

寄语青年涉外律师

赵伟主编：您对致力于涉外法律服务的青年律师有哪些寄语和忠告？要想成为一名优秀的涉外律师，您认为应该具备哪些素质和需要做好哪些工作？ 

何培华律师：提供优质的涉外法律服务，语言是第一关，是与外商当事人沟通交流的源泉，外语水平不过关，即使你有再大的能力，人家也很难相信你。第二，最好能在国外读个学位，我也是在江平老师的鼓励下，于2000年申请到哥伦比亚大学做的访问学者，后又到美国加州大学法学院攻读国际商法硕士学位。第三，要多参加国际研讨会和国际组织，美国律师协会、亚太律师协会、国际仲裁协会等国际组织中国律师都可以申请加入。要多认识国际法学专家，向他们学习的同时，也让他们认识我们中国律师，这样发展起来就如鱼得水了。第四，就是要有社会责任感。我们的青年人若有责任和担当，国家必将走向繁荣和富强。

正如习总书记所说的，我们要不忘初心，砥砺前行。中国经过40年改革开放已经成为世界第二大经济体，人民生活水平获得极大提高，我们要珍惜这来之不易的成果，做一个有责任、有担当的中国法律人。 

后记

是啊！我们要不忘初心，砥砺前行，做一个有责任、有担当的中国法律人，希望在老一代法律人的带领和传承下，在全面依法治国新时代的大背景下，中国的企业、公民在世界的每一个角落，其权益都能得到中国律师的保护，因为法律就是最好的保障。

回顾往昔，可以说，何培华律师的脚步总是与时代的发展同步并行，在每一个时间节点都做好了充足的准备并抓住了机遇，顺势而为、成就自我。“文革”期间下乡插队，当他人劳累了一天进入梦乡时，他却拿起了课本，遨游在书的海洋，国家恢复高考的第二年考入湛江师范学院英语系，毕业后又担任英语教师4年。1988年通过律师资格考试；1989年进入贸促会广东分会和广东对外经济贸易委员会从事多年涉外法律工作；后又赴美留学、回到法大深造；1993年创办广东环宇商务律师事务所；2000年，他响应律师制度改革要求，辞去公职创办广东环宇京茂律师事务所至今；2013年，国家提出“一带一路”建设的倡议，他又带领团队进入对“一带一路”建设法律的研究中……

俗话说，顺势而为，方能行稳致远。数十年来，何培华律师带领团队在每一个重要的时间节点，挺身而出力挽狂澜，承接一个又一个涉外大案，为国家、为当事人维护权益、挽回损失。我们相信，在未来的律师生涯中，何培华律师仍将会带领同仁继续维护当事人最大合法权益，继续为中国的法治建设做出更多更大的贡献。

Following the trend to go steadily and far

——An interview with Lawyer He Peihua, Principal Partner and Director of Guangdong International Business Law Firm

Editorial note

40 years is but a short span. In 2018 – the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up, China sees significant achievements in economic development, dramatically improved people’s living standard, and the rapidly growing Chinese legal service industry that protects economic development since its restoration.

In 2018, a lawyer celebrates the 30th anniversary of his law practice. In the course of development of the Chinese legal service industry, especially foreign affairs legal services that have started from scratch and are now flourishing, the name of Lawyer He Peihua, Principal Partner and Director of Guangdong International Business Law Firm, has been widely known as an example among law schools and foreign-related research institutes for the major foreign-related cases handled by him, such as “American citizens’ claim for the explosion of Chinese HorseTM fireworks”, “U.S. shrimp anti-dumping case vs. China”; “U.S. Section 337 investigation on Guangdong Shengyi Technology Co., Ltd.”.

On the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up of China, and the 30th anniversary of Mr. He’s practice, we interviewed this Chinese foreign affairs lawyer who was still working on the forefront of foreign-related legal services.

Notes: 1.“American citizens’ claim for the explosion of Chinese HorseTM fireworks (time: 1993; result: recouping financial losses of RMB400 million for China)”; 2. “U.S. shrimp anti-dumping case vs. China (time: 2004; result: receiving a favorable judgment of zero duty successfully)”; 3. U.S. Section 337 investigation on Guangdong Shengyi Technology Co., Ltd. (time: 2008; result: eventually making the American plaintiff withdraw its accusation, and winning an unprecedented victory in the history of Chinese enterprises coping with U.S. Section 337 investigations)

A closer look at Mr. He

Working hard to lay a solid foundation

“It is not I who make these major foreign-related cases well-known, but these cases that define my career.” Mr. He is always modest when facing his past achievements and honors. In the author’s opinion, one cannot seize a good opportunity without a solid foundation, extensive knowledge, an elevated vision and adequate preparations. It is because Mr. He has these qualities that he can make a difference in major foreign-related cases to protect the interests of both the country and his clients to the greatest extent, as can be seen from his past experiences.

Mr. He was born in Xuwen, Guangdong – one of the ports of departure of the Maritime Silk Road of the Han Dynasty, located at the southernmost tip of Mainland China – in 1957. He lived and worked in the countryside in the 1970s, was admitted to the English Department of the Zhanjiang Normal College after the college entrance examination was restored in September 1978, and served as a high school English teacher for four years after graduation. These experiences laid a solid lingual foundation for his future career. He was enrolled by the Second Bachelor Class, China University of Political Science and Law in 1985, and then by the Graduate School of this university after graduation as a student of famous Chinese jurist Prof. Jiang Ping. He passed the national lawyer qualification examination in 1988, and graduated with a master’s degree in civil and commercial laws in 1989. Since then, he has been doing foreign-related legal work at the Guangdong Branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the Guangdong Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Commission, serving as deputy section chief, section chief, deputy division chief, etc. He founded Guangdong International Business Law Firm in 1993, and has been Director to date; he was a visiting scholar at Columbia University from August 2000 to September 2001, studied for a master’s degree in international commercial law at the School of Law, University of California from July 2001 to August 2002, studied for a doctor’s degree in civil and commercial laws from September 2002, still as a student of Prof. Jiang Ping, and received a doctor’s degree in 2005. It can be said that these rich working and learning experiences have laid a solid foundation for Mr. He’s future practice.

In addition, Mr. He has also served as executive editor of Civil and Commercial Law Review; Director of the Seventh and Eighth WTO Law Committees of Guangdong Lawyers’ Association, legislative consultant to the Standing Committee of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Congress, part-time professor of the China University of Political Science and Law, part-time graduate student tutor of the School of Law, Sun Yat-sen University, part-time tutor of master’s degree candidates in law of Jinan University, chair professor of Chen An international Law Development Foundation and part-time research fellow of International Economic Law Institute, Xiamen University, executive director of the Chinese Society of International Economic Law, and other social positions, speaking for Chinese lawyers on different occasions and on the global stage.

A dialog with Mr. He

Reputation infringers must be held liable.

Chief Editor Zhao Wei: Hello, Mr. He! Thank you very much for accepting our interview in spite of your busyness. As a Chinese pioneer in foreign-related legal work, you have handled many major cases that have been much reported in your career, some of which have become benchmarks in this field. We have noticed that in the “Donnie Yen versus Tan Bing case” in 2015, you protected the rights of Hong Kong movie star Donnie Yen successfully as his agent ad litem. Can you share this case with us as a lawyer?

Mr. He: Okay. According to the interpretation of the Supreme People’s Court on some issues concerning the application of the Law of the Application of Law for Foreign-related Civil Relations of the People’s Republic of China, this law applies to cases involving civil relations in the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions. Therefore, this case is also a foreign-related one.

In 2012, young movie director Geng Weiguo (Tan Bing) of Mainland China held a press conference and made a series of untruthful remarks with neither contractual nor employment relationship with Donnie Yen, describing Donnie Yen as an evil guy, and infringing on his reputation right severely. Therefore, we prosecuted Geng Weiguo (Tan Bing) with the following claims: 1) Geng Weiguo should stop his infringing act; 2) He should make a written apology on media; 3) He should pay economic and mental damages of RMB5 million; 4) He should bear the legal, attorney and notary fees of this case.

This case experienced two court sessions and lasted over two years. On November 17, 2015, the Haidian District People’s Court made a first-instance judgment: Tan Bing’s act was a reputation infringing act, and should pay mental damages of RMB50,000 to Donnie Yen and make a written apology on media. Through trial, the court thought that the remarks about Donnie Yen made by Geng Weiguo (Tan Bing) on different occasions and at different times constituted an infringement on Donnie Yen’s reputation right. Geng Weiguo (Tan Bing) disseminated information on Donnie Yen allegedly provided by others in the public without verification, constituting a slander.

Although the actual amount of damages differed greatly from the claim, the facts were finally unveiled, bringing justice to Mr. Donnie Yen.

We would rather do something than do nothing!

Chief Editor Zhao Wei: Over these years, you have been protecting Chinese enterprises’ rights overseas as the agent of many foreign-related cases to serve the “going global” strategy. Of course, we cannot ask you to explain these cases one by one. We know that you retrieved financial losses of tens of millions of RMB for a Guangdong company. Would you tell us how it was handled?

Mr. He: Well. Several years ago, a dispute arose between a Guangdong company and a Singapore company, involving tens of millions of RMB. The Singapore company required that this case be arbitrated by the London Court of International Arbitration (ICIA), and the LCIA had made a preliminary ruling. Since I joined the Guangdong Branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the Guangdong Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Commission in 1989, I have been working on foreign-related arbitration. I judged at once that the arbitration of this case by the LCIA was certainly adverse to our side. After reviewing the agreement between both sides carefully, I found that the arbitration clause in this agreement was signed by the opposite side only, and not signed by our side, so I raised an objection to jurisdiction, and claimed that this case must be governed by Chinese laws. This was undoubted. After we brought a suit against the Singapore company at a Chinese court, the lawyer engaged by the Singapore company also affirmed that this case was governed by Chinese laws. We kept relevant records, and sent the agreement on the application of Chinese laws entered into at the court and the records to the Singapore company.

Although the LCIA made a preliminary ruling, it had not sent the arbitration award to the Guangdong company. The Chinese court later made a ruling, affirming that the arbitration clause in the agreement was invalid. We have now referred the case to the Supreme People’s Court, and got a preliminary victory.

I’d like to remind Chinese enterprises to enter into agreement prudently in foreign-related investment and business activities. For cases for which a suit or arbitration has been initiated overseas, a lawyer with rich foreign-related legal practice experience must be engaged to give professional guidance, and should not respond to or ignore the prosecution hastily. The best way is to respond prudently.

Rules are precedent to business activities.

Chief Editor Zhao Wei: As a pioneering foreign affairs lawyer, you often speak for the “going global” strategy of Chinese enterprises, and give advice on the development of the Belt and Road at international seminars. What’s your advice for this strategy?

Mr. He: In recent years, with the further progress of economic globalization, and the accelerated development of the Belt and Road, Chinese enterprises have been treated unfairly repeatedly in this process.

Our law firm attaches great importance to the development of the Belt and Road, and made in-depth research on the legal environments of the countries along the Belt and Road, especially Southeast Asian countries. As an executive director of the Chinese Society of International Economic Law, I would attend every annual convention. At the 2017 annual convention, I suggested that open, fair and just rules should be established for the Belt and Road Initiative, and strictly observed whatever obstacle may be encountered. Although the Belt and Road is developing vigorously, there is no overall legal framework or convention, and the academic community is discussing agreements among countries most of the time. Leaders concerned at different levels should pay their attention to how to establish a legal framework for the Belt and Road jointly.

Messages for young foreign affairs lawyers

Chief Editor Zhao Wei: What are your messages and suggestions for young lawyers devoted to foreign-related legal services? What qualities are needed and what should be done to become an outstanding foreign affairs lawyer?

Mr. He: In order to provide high-quality foreign-related legal services, language is the primary condition, and a tool to communicate with foreign parties. However capable one may be, if one is not proficient in foreign languages, one can hardly be trusted. Second, we should preferably receive an academic degree overseas. Encouraged by Prof. Jiang Ping, I became a visiting scholar at Columbia University in 2000, and later studied for a master’s degree in international commercial law at the School of Law, University of California. Third, we should attend international seminars often and join more international organizations, such as the American Bar Association, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, and Association for International Arbitration. We should get to know more international law experts to learn from them and also let them know us, so we can develop more effectively. Fourth, we should have a sense of social responsibility, because only if young people are responsible can our country prosper.

As President Xi Jinping has said, we should always stick to our original aspiration and forge ahead against all odds. China has become the world’s second largest economy after 40 years of reform and opening up, and people’s living standard has improved dramatically. We should cherish this hard-won outcome, and be responsible in our careers.

Epilogue

Yes! We should always stick to our original aspiration and forge ahead against all odds, and be responsible Chinese lawyers. In the new era of managing the country by law in all aspects, we expect that Chinese enterprises and citizens can be protected by Chinese lawyers under the leadership of pioneers in every corner of the world, because the law is the best protection.

It can be seen from his past experiences that Mr. He has always kept step with the times, made adequate preparations and seized opportunities to achieve today’s success. When he lived and worked in the countryside in the 1970s, he kept studying at night while others were resting. He was later admitted to the English Department of the Zhanjiang Normal College in the second year of restoration of the college entrance examination, and served as an English teacher for four years after graduation. He passed the national lawyer qualification examination in 1988, and has been doing foreign-related legal work at the Guangdong Branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the Guangdong Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Commission since 1989; he later studied in the U.S. and pursued advanced studies at China University of Political Science and Law; he founded Guangdong International Business Law Firm in 1993, and resigned from public service and reorganized the law firm in 2000; when the state proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, he led his team to conduct relevant legal research……

There is a saying that only if one follows the trend can one go steadily and far. For decades, Mr. He has led his team to win major foreign-related cases, protecting rights and retrieving losses for the country and clients. We believe that Mr. He will continue to do this together with his colleagues in his future career, thereby making greater contributions to China’s legal system building.