On April 26, 2019, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the People's Republic of China ("MNR") issued an announcement that Dentons China was appointed as its legal advisor for year 2019. A total of 28 law firms participated in the bidding, and our firm stood out and was successfully appointed by the MNR (formerly the Ministry of Land and Resources) for the third time after several rigorous evaluation processes, including primary selection and presentation procedures. With substantial support from the firm's management team, and Senior Partners Li Chen (Nanjing), Jiang Wenjun (Kunming) and Su Xiufen (Xiamen), and Partner Wang Gui (Tai Yuan), Dentons Beijing-based Senior Partner Gavin (Guisheng) Yang led and coordinated the pitch team. Mr. Yang was supported by Senior Partners Yuan Huazhi, Yang Guanshan, Zhang Xidong, Alexander (Dong) Zhang, Senior Counsel Qin Yonghui, Partner Yang Haoran, Associate Kang Qing, and Paralegals Liu Lin and Zheng Xiaoye. The team will continue to provide professional and efficient legal services for the MNR.

The first session of the 13th National People's Congress adopted the plan on institutional restructuring of the State Council, and approved the establishment of the MNR. As a constituent department of the State Council, the newly established MNR will undertake the responsibilities of the now-defunct Ministry of Land and Resources, State Oceanic Administration and State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, with additional responsibilities coming from other departments and ministries – the responsibilities of organizing and planning the main body function area (from National Development and Reform Commission), the responsibilities of urban and rural planning management (from Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development), the responsibilities of water resources survey and the management of the registration of the right (from Ministry of Water Resources), the responsibilities of grassland resources survey and the management of the registration of the right (from Ministry of Agriculture), and the responsibilities of forest, wetland and other resources survey and registration management (from State Forestry Administration). The MNR will reserve the name of the State Oceanic Administration.

The appointment showcased not only Dentons' high-level professional legal service capabilities in the fields of natural resources and administration, including mineral resources, land, planning, oceanography, surveying and mapping, but also our outstanding teamwork in business development. This will further enhance Dentons' influence and brand impact in the relevant legal service markets. Previously, on January 25, 2019, in order to express their high recognition of our legal advisory work, the MNR's department of policies and regulations sent our firm a letter of appreciation.