Hu Fenglin

Practice Focus

Mr Hu advises foreign investors entering China through Yiwu and Zhejiang on company establishment, foreign investment structures and the regulatory approvals required for a foreign-invested enterprise (FIE). He works on international trade transactions from the perspective of both Chinese suppliers and foreign counterparties, covering contract drafting, trade terms, payment security and dispute prevention.

His teaching work includes practical training on risk prevention in international trade, presented from the standpoint of foreign counterparties, reflecting his emphasis on understanding both sides of a cross-border contract. His practice covers the trade patterns of the Yiwu International Trade City, where foreign buyers source goods across hundreds of product categories and need contracts that allocate risk clearly between supplier, agent, freight forwarder and buyer.

For foreign investors, he coordinates the registration sequence: name approval, incorporation, capital contribution and bank account opening, foreign exchange registration, tax registration, and any sector-specific licences required for trading or logistics activities. He also advises on the documentation required to repatriate profits and to wind down or restructure an investment.

In international trade contracts, Mr Hu advises on the interaction between the contract, the applicable trade terms and Chinese law, including the Civil Code's rules on contract formation and performance, the documentary requirements of the Customs Law of the People's Republic of China, and the dispute resolution options available to foreign parties, including Chinese courts and arbitration institutions.

Under the Company Law of the People's Republic of China (revised 2023, effective 1 July 2024), registered capital for limited liability companies must be fully paid within five years of incorporation unless the law or the company's articles provide otherwise, a change that affects how foreign investors size and schedule their capital contributions. Mr Hu advises on the interaction between the foreign investment negative list, the company registration rules, and the foreign exchange control regulations administered by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, including the filings required to bring capital in and to remit dividends and liquidation proceeds out.

Local Practice

Zhejiang Zeda has maintained its Yiwu office since 2003 and is one of the city's leading firms by revenue. Mr Hu operates from that office, serving foreign buyers, sourcing agents and manufacturers across the Yiwu International Trade City, and coordinates with colleagues in the firm's Hangzhou headquarters on larger transactions.

Representative Work

Mr Hu's practice covers the recurring foreign-related matters of the Yiwu market: incorporation of foreign-invested trading and sourcing companies, drafting and negotiation of export sales contracts, advice on payment security structures such as letters of credit and advance payment guarantees, resolution of quality and delivery disputes between Chinese suppliers and foreign buyers, and the regulatory work involved in import-export licensing, customs classification and foreign exchange receipts.

He has lectured on risk prevention in international trade from the foreign counterparty's perspective, drawing on the dispute patterns seen in the Yiwu courts and the documentary failures that cause foreign buyers to lose claims that should have been recoverable.

Languages and Engagement

Mr Hu works in Chinese and English. Foreign investors and buyers should bring the draft contracts, corporate documents and correspondence involved in the transaction, together with any existing agreements with agents, suppliers or freight forwarders. He confirms the scope, timeline and fees of an engagement in writing, and works with overseas counsel where a matter involves foreign law or foreign courts.