CELG News | CELG Retained as Chief Legal Counsel for Chamber of Commerce Angola-China
2025-06-28 15:35:55
On June 13, Chen Youxi—Chief Partner, Chairman of the Board, and Director of the National Management Committee of Capital Equity Lgeal Group—attended the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha. Hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce and the Hunan Provincial People's Government, the event featured an official signing ceremony where Capital Equity Legal Group was retained as Chief Legal Counsel for the Chamber of Commerce Angola-China in the West African nation of Angola. This engagement followed a personal letter of invitation from Luis Cupenala, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Angola-China, and an official invitation letter from the Angolan Embassy in China. Angola's Minister of Industry and Commerce and Ambassador to China attended the signing ceremony.
At 6:00 PM on June 13, the Angola-China Business Networking Dinner commenced solemnly to the sound of the national anthems of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Angola.
Distinguished guests attending the banquet included:
H.E. Mr. Rui Miguens, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Angola
H.E. Mrs. Dalva Ringote Allen, Ambassador of Angola to China
H.E. Mr. Luis Cupenala, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Angola-China
Chiarman Chen Youxi of Capital Equity Legal Group
Representatives from key institutions such as the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), Bank of China, China-Africa Development Fund, and China-Africa Business Council.
During the banquet, several agenda items were addressed. Among these was the signing of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement between the Chamber of Commerce Angola-China and Capital Equity Legal Group. The Chamber formally presented a Letter of Appointment, designating Capital Equity Legal Group as its Chief Legal Counsel.
H.E. Mrs. Dalva Ringote Allen, Ambassador of Angola to China, witnessing the signing.
On the morning of June 13, arranged by the Chamber of Commerce Angola-China, Chairman Chen Youxi met with Adilson Catala, Chief Executive Officer of Angola's largest Dande Special Economic Zone, and senior executives from Banco Angolano de Investimentos (BAI Bank)—the country's biggest private bank—conducting in-depth discussions and concrete business negotiations.
Located approximately 50 kilometers north of Luanda, Angola's capital, the Dande Special Economic Zone borders the Atlantic coast and the Dande River estuary. As a flagship national development project led by the Angolan government, it aims to diversify the country's economy away from oil dependency, advance manufacturing, logistics, and agricultural processing industries, create employment opportunities, and establish itself as a regional industrial and export hub. Numerous Chinese enterprises have already established operations within the zone.
Fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo Overview
The Fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo was held in Changsha from June 12 to 15, 2025, co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China and the People's Government of Hunan Province. This Expo was initiated by President Xi Jinping at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
The expo brought together 83 ministerial-level officials, 33 vice-ministerial officials, 9 provincial/ministerial-level governors and premiers, and 41 ambassadors to China from African nations, alongside delegations from 11 Chinese provinces and municipalities (including Hubei and Chongqing) led by provincial-level leaders, while high-level representatives attended from international organizations such as the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), International Trade Centre (ITC), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), African Union Commission (AUC), and East African Community (EAC), with six African countries—Angola, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)—hosting dedicated business exchange events.
Angola and China-Angola Relations Overview
Situated in southwestern Africa, Angola covers 1.2467 million square kilometers with a population of 36.684 million. Portuguese is its official language. Angola ranks among China's primary crude oil suppliers.
Bilateral relations hold strategic significance. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, conducted a state visit to China from March 14 to 17, 2024. During this visit, the two nations elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, issuing the Joint Statement on Establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Angola on March 15, 2024.
According to May 2025 data from the "China-Angola Relations" section of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, Angola is China's second-largest trading partner in Africa, with bilateral trade reaching US$20.88 billion in 2024—comprising US$3.24 billion in Chinese exports to Angola and US$17.64 billion in Chinese imports from Angola.
The Chamber of Commerce Angola-China Overview
The Chamber of Commerce Angola-China was established on March 31, 2016. Its mandate is to promote economic and commercial relations between the two nations. As the sole nationally recognized bilateral chamber endorsed by both governments, it serves as a pivotal platform for enhancing China-Angola economic and trade exchanges.
On March 14, 2024, in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency, Mr. Luis Cupenala, President of the Chamber of Commerce Angola-China, stated: "China-Angola cooperation is mutually beneficial, with our peoples sharing profound mutual understanding. We hope China remains a partner on Angola's modernization journey."
On July 9, 2024, Mr. Zhang Bin, Chinese Ambassador to Angola, visited the Chamber of Commerce Angola-China. Ambassador Zhang commended the Chamber's longstanding contributions to facilitating Chinese enterprises in Angola and advancing bilateral trade cooperation, encouraging continued practical measures to expand economic collaboration and elevate commercial exchanges between the two nations.
Significance of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement between the Chamber of Commerce Angola-China and Capital Equity Legal Group
China-Angola and China-Africa friendship constitutes a national strategy. Chinese lawyers possess substantial potential to contribute across legal practice, advisory services, dispute resolution, investment negotiations, and regulatory development. Capital Equity Legal Group is committed to safeguarding Chinese enterprises in global expansion, providing legal services to state-owned enterprises (central and local), private businesses, and Chinese citizens investing in Africa.
Driven by the China-Angola friendship and broader China-Africa ties, demand for legal services among Chinese enterprises and citizens in Africa continues to grow. Given China's substantial aid funding, state-owned enterprises (central and local) investments in critical projects, and private sector needs across industrial, agricultural, trade, tourism, and labor sectors, Chinese lawyers must establish an African presence to safeguard national interests, corporate assets, investment capital, and citizens' rights—necessitating their global expansion to protect China's multifaceted rights and interests through international frameworks and bilateral agreements.
Capital Equity Legal Group: Our Vision
Capital Equity Legal Group is committed to advancing China's the Belt and Road Initiative by providing legal services to Chinese enterprises and citizens. Concurrently, the firm will actively engage in legal exchange forums and legislative deliberations with African nations and United Nations agencies, participating proactively in advising on investment policies, drafting legislative instruments, and contributing to discussions—ensuring the protection of China's national interests, corporate assets, and citizens' rights at the legislative level.
Capital Equity Legal Group's strategic plan involves integrating its established international branches and offices to create an interconnected the Belt and Road legal service network spanning ASEAN in Southeast Asia, the Persian Gulf in the Middle East, and Angola in West Africa; the signing of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement with the Chamber of Commerce Angola-China marks a pivotal milestone in the firm's expansion into Africa and signifies progressive exploration for China's legal profession on the continent.