Addressing a seminar on international cooperation in the modern tertiary industry, Jia Wuguang, general secretary of the All-China Lawyers Association, said a sharp rise in the number of lawyers shows the rapid expansion of the country's legal services.

There are now nearly 10,000 law offices in China, he said. They include lawyers specializing in the securities, finance and real estate sectors.

There is a great market potential for lawyers as the economy becomes knowledge-based and emerging sectors become mainstream, added the general secretary.

He explained the knowledge-based economy and emerging sectors will need more professional legal services than the traditional economy did.

Moreover, he described legal services as an important part of the sound investment environment essential for overseas investors.

China has been steadily opening its legal services market to the outside world since early 2001 and 104 foreign law firms and 28 Hong Kong law offices have set up branches on the Chinese mainland.

(People's Daily July 8, 2002)