MAINZ, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#ESG–A stronger legal framework and greater regulatory certainty will be essential to expanding environmental, social and governance (ESG) cooperation between China and Europe as businesses face increasingly complex cross-border compliance requirements, a Chinese legal expert said.
Speaking at the Third Sino-European Corporate ESG Best Practice Conference in Mainz, Wang Heng, global chairman of Shengheng Law Firm and president of the Liaoning Chamber of Commerce in Germany, said integrating ESG principles with the rule of law could strengthen bilateral economic cooperation, improve the investment environment and support sustainable development.
The conference brought together more than 500 government officials, business executives, academics and industry representatives from China and several European countries to discuss sustainable growth, green transition and ESG cooperation.
Wang said China’s northeastern province of Liaoning has improved its investment environment through market-oriented reforms, stronger legal protections and the integration of ESG principles into economic development policies.
He cited the BMW production base in Shenyang as an example, noting that it operates China’s first large-scale geothermal heating system in the automotive industry, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 18,000 tonnes annually while running entirely on renewable electricity. He also highlighted cooperation between Liaoning-based Wellhope Foods and Dutch animal nutrition company De Heus, whose joint venture has been recognized as a national “green factory.” Another example, the China-Germany (Shenyang) High-end Equipment Manufacturing Industrial Park, is promoting mutual recognition of carbon accounting and green certification standards between China and Europe, he said.
Wang said legal certainty has become increasingly important as Chinese companies expand overseas and European businesses step up investment in China.
Drawing on Shengheng Law Firm’s experience in cross-border legal practice, he said the firm has built a global legal service network with professional teams in 40 cities across China and Germany and strategic partnerships with law firms in multiple jurisdictions.
Through its “single engagement in the host country” service model, Shengheng provides end-to-end legal support for Chinese and international companies pursuing cross-border investment, helping clients navigate local regulatory frameworks, manage compliance risks and facilitate overseas expansion and market entry. He said the firm’s integrated legal services have helped support two-way trade and investment between China and Germany by providing businesses with greater legal certainty throughout the investment process.
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Sino-European Corporate ESG Best Practice Conference
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