中国软件技术企业箩筐技术公司近日赢得美国法院临时禁令，被美国国防部从中国涉军企业清单（CCMC）中撤除，成为继小米后第二家成功被移除出该清单的中国企业。美国德汇律师事务所在该案中代表箩筐技术，对美国总统、国防部和财政部提起起诉。
2021年1月，美国国防部认定纳斯达克上市公司箩筐技术为中国涉军企业，禁止美国投资人投资、交易该公司证券。此后，箩筐技术收到了纳斯达克和富时指数的退市通知。伴随箩筐技术被从CCMC中撤除，纳斯达克撤回了下市通知，该公司也被重新列入富时指数。
6月3日，拜登总统签署行政令，公布了新的“中国军工复合体企业”清单，共包含59家中国公司，新名单于2021年8月2日生效。箩筐和小米成功挑战美国制裁和禁令的案例也为今后中国企业通过法律途径维护自身权利提供参考。
“中国企业在美国受到不公正对待，情况紧急时，要第一时间找律师而非找关系。”箩筐技术首席代理律师、德汇纽约办公室合伙人Catherine Pan-Giordano（潘惜唇）律师告诉ALB。潘律师指出，美国宪法同样保护和美国有足够“连接点”的外国企业，上述“连接点”包括参与美国资本市场、拥有美国股东、合作方、雇员，以及与美国企业存在合同与业务往来等。
潘律师同时建议，选择美国律师时，企业要判断案件主管律师能否有效协调律所内部力量、是否熟悉相关产业，以及是否了解中国文化、传统、体制和实际情况，以便和中国客户无障碍交流。
Dorsey Represented Luokung Technology in Its Removal from U.S. CCMC list
U.S. law firm Dorsey & Whitney represented Chinese software technology company Luokung Technology in obtaining a court preliminary injunction to be removed from the “Communist Chinese military company” (“CCMC”) designation. Luokung became the second Chinese company to be removed from this negative list after Xiaomi.
Dorsey represented Luokung in this lawsuit against the U.S. President, Department of Defense and the Department of the Treasury. After the removal, NASDAQ withdrew its delisting notice to Luokung, and Luokung has regained its position on the FTSE GEIS (Micro Cap) index.
On June 3, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order to announce a new “Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List”, which includes 59 Chinese companies and became effective on August 2, 2021. The victories of Luokung and Xiaomi are exemplary cases of Chinese companies’ successful challenge of U.S. government’s sanctions and can be used as relevant case law and reference where appropriate in the future.
“Chinese companies should find suitable legal counsel as soon as possible, rather than seeking “Guanxi” (i.e., using influence) if they are treated unfairly in the United States and if the situation is urgent.” Catherine Pan-Giordano, chief counsel of Luokung’s U.S. legal team and a partner of Dorsey & Whitney’s New York office tells ALB.
Pan points out that the U.S. Constitution also protects foreign companies that have sufficient “connections” with the country, such as participation in the U.S. capital markets and having U.S. shareholders, business partners, employees, and contracts and business relationships with U.S. companies.
Pan also advises Chinese clients seek lawyers who can efficiently marshal resources within a law firm, have deep understanding of relevant areas, and can “seamlessly communicate with Chinese clients, which requires not only language capabilities but also deep understanding of Chinese culture, tradition, social systems and practical circumstances”.
To contact the editorial team, please email ALBEditor@thomsonreuters.com.
