A government circular published on January 9 called for better legal services for overseas projects and those "going-global."

By 2020, there should be a team of legal personnel in China with knowledge of international rules and a number of quality legal institutions, the circular proposed.

The circular was jointly issued by the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council.

Against the backdrop of major national development strategies such as the Belt and Road Initiative, overseas legal service providers should help guard against investment risks in transportation, energy, communication and other infrastructure projects.

Overseas legal service providers should help Chinese enterprises doing business in global markets with due diligence, risk evaluation, prevention and control, as well as defending their rights and interests.

Overseas legal service providers also have roles to play in cross-border crime, narcotics, money laundering, anti-corruption and anti-terror operations.

(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2017)