ENG

  • Mingchun ZOU

    Equity Partner / Wuhan

  • Tel +86-27-8555-7988

    Email zoumingchun@zhonglun.com

  • Practices

    Cross-border Investment/M&A, Cybersecurity & Data Protection, Bankruptcy-Insolvency & Reorganization

  • Industries

    Information & Intelligence Technology

CV

Mingchun ZOU

Mr. Mingchun Zou was honored of 1st "Top Ten Lawyers" of Hubei Province, and is the vice president of the International Law Research Society of Hubei Law Society. Mr. Zou has been engaged in cross-border investment mergers and acquisitions, international commercial arbitration and other fields, and he mainly providing foreign-related legal services for enterprises in automobile and communication industries.
Mr. Zou has long been the legal advisor of state-owned enterprises, such as Dongfeng Motor Corporation, Fiberhome Group, Metallurgical Group Corporation and etc. He has assisted enterprises to make overseas investments in Europe, the United States, Malaysia, India, Brazil, Vietnam and other countries and regions, and he has extensive experience in organizing, leading and coordinating international lawyers to provide cross-border legal services for Chinese enterprises. In addition, Mr. Zou is also experienced in emerging industries such as new energy and smart vehicles, chips and communication technologies, and provides legal services to enterprises in artificial intelligence, GDPR compliance, data security and privacy protection.

Representative Matters

Cross-border M&A

  • Advised an engineering Chinese state-owned enterprise for its equity investment and EPC project of a large-scale intelligent steel plant in Malaysia

  • Advised a Chinese state-owned enterprise on a theme park development project in Saudi Arabia

  • Advised a Chinese state-owned enterprise on the establishment of an office agency in Vietnam

  • Advised Chinese state-owned enterprise on automotive distribution compliance and GDPR compliance services concerning export of vehicles to Poland

  • Advised a Chinese state-owned enterprise on its investment in a new energy vehicle company and a driverless car company in the United States

  • Advised Dongfeng Motor Corporation on its vehicle distribution project in Brazil

  • Advised DFCV on its M&A and distribution financing projects in South Africa

  • Advised Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd. on the establishment of a legal entity and acquisition of assets in Russia

  • Advised an enterprise on a product manufacturing cooperation project in Iran

  • Advised an enterprise on its investment project compliance in Indonesia

  • Advised a Chinese state-owned enterprise on a submarine fiber optic cable laying project in the Philippines;

  • Advised a Chinese state-owned enterprise on the establishment of a capital and finance center in Hong Kong;

  • Advised a Chinese state-owned enterprise on equity merger and acquisition project in Sweden;

  • Advised a Chinese state-owned enterprise on a number of technology research and development projects with high-tech companies in the United States and Sweden;

  • Advised a real estate development company on a joint development project with a Chinese state-owned enterprise in Colombo Port City

  • Advised an enterprise on a cable car construction investment project in Saipan;

  • Advised a state-owned enterprise on an investment project to an industrial park in Portugal;

  • Advised a Chinese state-owned enterprise on its M&A and financing project in Cambodia;

  • Advised a Chinese state-owned enterprise on an EPC project and equity investment project in Cambodia, Mongolia and Tajikistan


Foreign Investment

  • Advised Administrative Committee of Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone on the investment promotion project of Korean biosimilars;

  • Advised Dongfeng Motor Parts and Components Group Co., Ltd. on a joint venture for aluminum wheels project with German Maxion Wheels Group;

  • Advised Wuhan Huazi Dongjiang Auto Parts Co., Ltd. on its joint venture project with a French Company;

  • Advised Dongfeng Motor Parts and Components Group Co., Ltd. on a joint venture for steering gears project with Nexteer Automotive;

  • Advised Wuhan Yatai Seasoning Foodstuff Co., Ltd. on its asset acquisition project with McCormick & Company, Inc.

  • Advised Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd. on the development and manufacturing of high-performance engines with Volvo Cars Group.


Inbound M&A 、Restructuring

  • Advised a state-owned enterprise on the restructuring of the assets and business of its subsidiary (a joint venture company);

  • Advised a state-owned enterprise on the restructuring of the business of three of its subsidiaries;

  • Advised a state-owned enterprise on its acquisition of equity and control of a listed company;

  • Advised Wuhan Zhongsheng Hongrun Logistics Co., Ltd. on its restructuring;

  • Advised Dongfeng Renault (Sino-foreign joint venture) on its Prepackaged reorganization;

  • Advised a state-owned enterprise on its “Double Hundred Action" hybrid project

  • Advised a state-owned enterprise on employee share incentive plan project;

  • Advised Dongfeng Changxing science and Technology Co. Ltd on its “Double Hundred Action" hybrid project;

  • Advised Dongfeng Forging Co., Ltd on its “Double Hundred Action" hybrid project;

  • Advised a manufacturing company on establishing a joint venture with a logistics company;

  • Advised the subsidiary of Dongfeng Motor Parts and Components Group Co., Ltd. on the transfer of powder metallurgy assets and business;

  • Advised Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd. on the project of externalization of frame stamping parts;

  • Advised Dongfeng Piston & Bearing Co., Ltd. on its the restructuring;

  • Advised Dongfeng Motor Parts and Components Group Co., Ltd. on the restructuring of chassis system


International Commercial Dispute Resolution

  • Advised a Hubei company on Arbitration of a joint venture dispute with a Brazilian company in London International Arbitration (LCIA)

  • Advised a state-owned enterprise on Arbitration of an investment dispute with a Brazilian company before the International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration (ICC)

  • Advised a Chinese technology-based central enterprise in a trade secret infringement case with a U.S. high-tech company in U.S. federal court and Virginia state court

  • Advised a Chinese construction company on an EPC dispute and liquidation in an Indian arbitration institution with an Indian company;

  • Advised a listed machinery company on international trade dispute with an Ukrainian company before the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC)

  • Advised a communications equipment company on a dispute over the quality of communications equipment case with a leading Korean electronics company before ICC;

  • Advised a Hong Kong group company on equity investment dispute with a provincial tobacco company before CIETAC ;

  • Advised China Dongfeng Motor Industry Import & Export Co., Ltd. on an automobile distribution and real estate lease dispute in a Middle East country;

  • Advised a communications technology company on a dispute with a Thai company over the performance of a communications project in Thailand;

  • Advised a listed chemical company on an international letter of credit fraud dispute with a Korean company before Hong Kong court


Restructuring and other areas

  • Advised a foreign-capital daily chemical products company on the liquidation of its plant in China

  • Advised Wuhan Schmitz Trailer Co., Ltd (Sino-foreign joint venture) on its liquidation;

  • Advised a German company on the disclosure of trade secrets in China;

  • Advised a German pharmaceutical company on the exit of its investment project in China;

  • Advised Dongfeng Motor Group on the restructuring of water, electricity, heating, gas, and property management services;

  • Advised the State Grid Hubei Electric Power Company on its several restructuring;

  • Acted as perennial legal adviser to Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd.;

  • Acted as perennial legal adviser to Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd.;

  • Acted as perennial legal adviser to FiberHome Telecommunication Technologies Co., Ltd.;

  • Acted as perennial legal adviser to Accelink Technologies Co., Ltd.;

  • Acted as perennial legal adviser to CITIC Pacific Special Steel Group Co., Ltd.;

  • Acted as perennial legal adviser to Sky-Blue.

Honors and Awards

Rank first lawyer of Corporate/Commerce in Greater China Region – Chambers – 2022;

Rank second lawyer of Corporate/Commerce in Asia-Pacific – Chambers – 2021;

National Talent Pool of 1,000 Foreign-related Lawyers - the Ministry of Justice - 2018;

Talents pool of One Belt One Road Cross-border Lawyer-All China Lawyers Association - 2017;

The First Top Ten Lawyers in Hubei Province - 2001

Memberships & Affiliations

Arbitrator, The China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission;

Arbitrator, Wuhan Arbitration Commission;

Arbitrator, Wuhan International Arbitration Center;

Mediator, Wuhan Arbitration and Mediation Promotion Association;

Member, Inter-Pacific Bar Association;

Vice president International Law Research Association Society of Hubei Law Society;

Part-time tutor of master of law; Wuhan University;

Cooperative tutor of master of law, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law;

Director (Fifth and Sith Session), International Law Committee of Hubei Bar Association;

Invited Lawyer of the Legal Advisory Group of Overseas Chinese Enterprises Service (served), Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council;

Member of Wuhan Lawyer Advisory Group (served), Wuhan Municipal Justice Bureau

Publications

An Exploration of Export Control Compliance in Cross-Border Technical Cooperation of Chinese Enterprises, co-author, published in Research on Overseas Legal Practice of Chinese Enterprises Going Global, All China Lawyers Association, May 2020;

Essentials of Legal Practice of Foreign Debt Issuance under the New Regulations - Case Summary of US$300 Million Bond Project in Zhuzhou City, published in Wolters Kluwer, November 2016;

Research on Legal Issues of Foreign Investors’ Merger and Acquisition of Chinese Enterprises, co-author, published in Journal of China Lawyer and Jurist, July 2005

  • Bar Admissions/Professional Qualifications

    Securities Lawyer Qualification, 1996
    PRC Bar, 1988

  • Education

    LL.M California Western School of Law (USA)
    LL.M Wuhan University, School of Law
    LL.B Southwest University of Political Science and Law

  • Professional Experience

    Partner Zhonglun Law Firm
    Partner Dewell & Partners
    Chinese Legal Counsel Allen & Gledhill

  • Languages

    Chinese
    English