尽管中国渴求能源和原材料，但美国佛州迈亚密律所Diaz Reus & Targ的律师警告正在蔓延的法律风险阻碍了中国在拉美的投资。
该所的上海办公室的律师Vincent李表示:「根据过往的经验，中国企业在拉美进行投资的时候需要特别注意当地的法律风险，这包括由诈骗、违约、保护主义的法律和来自政治、法规、经济和运营所带来的风险。」
尽管中国与拉美在2007至2009年间的贸易总量达到一百亿美元，但这远低于中国国家主席胡锦涛在2004年所预测的每年达一百亿美元的目标。
李还告诫其他有兴趣到拉美谈投资的华商要小心的评估他们的潜在商业伙伴的信贷和交易记录，并且对拉美的法律加深了解和在他们所草拟的合约中加入可选用法律和平台的条款，并且选择到中立的第三方地点作为日后仲裁调解的机制。
李的事务所曾代表一家墨西哥的锂矿场和一批哥伦比亚的金矿吸引中国的投资。该所亦是2010年上海世博会墨西哥馆的法律顾问。
Despite China’s hunger for energy resources and raw materials, deal flows into Latin America have been hampered by rampant legal risks in the region, warned lawyer from Miami-based firm Diaz Reus & Targ.
"Speaking from experience, Chinese companies looking to invest in Latin America should be aware of the key legal risks including fraud and breach of contract, protectionist laws, as well as the political, regulatory, economic and operational risks,” said Vincent Li, a lawyer based in the firm’s Shanghai office.
Total trade volumes between China and the Latin America amounted to US$10 billion during the period 2007 to 2009—far lower than the US$10 billion annual target that Chinese president Hu Jintao projected in 2004.
Li cautioned other interested Chinese parties to carefully assess the credit and transactional history of their potential business partners; familiarize themselves with local Latin American laws, and include a choice of law and forum selection clause in their drafted contracts and seek arbitration in a neutral third-party venue as part of the dispute resolution mechanism.
Li’s firm has represented a Mexican lithium mine and a handful of Columbia gold mines in their efforts to attract investors from China. The firm also acted as legal counsel for Mexico’s National Pavilion at the 2010 World Expo held in Shanghai. ALB
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