Represented a well-known credit insurance company as the respondent in an overseas investment insurance contract dispute arbitration before the CIETAC (Beijing), involving over USD 180 million. The case also involved the determination of potential expropriation disputes between an investor and a host state under a bilateral BIT, with significant implications. Ultimately, secured a complete victory for the client, with the arbitral tribunal dismissing all of the counterparty’s claims.
Service Industries
- International Trade
- Corporate
- Construction Engineering
- Finance
- International Commercial Arbitration
Professional Qualification
Bar Admission in the People's Republic of China
Language Skills
MandarinEnglish
Educational Background
Bachelor of Laws & Bachelor of English (Double Degree), Beijing Foreign Studies University , 2007
Master of Laws, Beijing Foreign Studies University , 2010
2018 Bar Council Training Scheme
2025 HKIAC Advanced Arbitrator Training Programme
Social Engagements
Zoe is an arbitrator of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, a member of the Organizing Committee of the China Young Arbitration Group, a member of the Commercial Arbitration Law Professional Committee of the Beijing Lawyers Association, a member of the Arbitration and Mediation Research Committee of the Beijing Chaoyang District Lawyers Association, and a panelist on the Arbitrators & Neutrals Panel of the eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre.
Experience& capabilities
Practice Area
Zoe Zhang specializes in commercial arbitration and litigation, and especially foreign related arbitration and international arbitration. The major sectors of her practice involve sale of goods, private equity, construction, real estate, joint venture, equity transfer, intellectual properties, energy etc.
Practice Experience
Before joining Tiger Partners, Zoe was working with the Dispute Resolution Team of a top Chinese law firm as an equity partner. Zoe has represented clients in over 100 commercial disputes, most of which are foreign related or international arbitration cases. The applicable rules of those arbitration cases include CIETAC Rules, the BAC Rules, the UNCITRAL Rules, the HKIAC Administered Rules, the ICC Rules, and the SIAC Rules. The arbitration language of many of those cases were English, and hearings were conducted in China Mainland, Hong Kong, Singapore, India and other jurisdictions.
Most of the cases represented by Zoe have achieved relatively favorable results with a high success rate and high client satisfaction.
Honors
- 2025 The Legal 500, China Elite - Beijing Elite - Commercial Disputes.
- 2021 The Legal 500, Next Generation Partners (Dispute Resolution: Arbitration).
- 2018 Best Defense Award, Beijing Lawyers Association - Beijing Lawyers' Achievements Display on Excellent Defense - Celebration of Forty Years of Reform and Opening-up.
Performance & Achievements
Represented INVISTA in initiating a franchise contract dispute before the CIETAC (Beijing), involving over RMB 253 million. The arbitration was conducted under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, with English as the arbitration language. Also represented the client as the respondent in a petition to confirm the validity of the arbitration agreement before a Chinese court, winning the high-profile “Zhejiang Yisheng v. INVISTA” case regarding the validity of an arbitration clause for arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules at CIETAC. In 2014, the Supreme People’s Court designated this case as a model example of providing judicial services and guarantees for the Belt and Road Initiative.
Represented a listed company in an arbitration before the CIETAC (Beijing) (the widely publicized “Yu’E Bao” dispute), involving over RMB 71 million (with overall economic interests exceeding RMB 2.5 billion). Ultimately, forced the counterparty to settle with the client on favorable terms.
Represented a central state-owned enterprise in initiating arbitration before the CIETAC (Beijing) over disputes under 13 non-ferrous metal bulk sales contracts and responding to the counterparty’s counterclaims, involving over USD 10 million. The arbitral tribunal ultimately upheld all of the client’s claims and dismissed all of the counterparty’s counterclaims. Subsequently, continued to represent the client in initiating two additional arbitration cases before the CIETAC(Beijing) over multiple non-ferrous metal bulk sales contracts, involving over RMB 170 million and RMB 180 million respectively, both resulting in favorable awards upholding all of the client’s claims.
Represented a well-known international fund in initiating an asset transfer dispute concerning a data center before the CIETAC (Shanghai), involving over RMB 130 million, and obtained a favorable award.
Represented the Tianjin subsidiary of a well-known international energy technology company in initiating an engineering dispute before the CIETAC (Shanghai), involving over RMB 53 million. Forced the counterparty to settle and pay over 80% of the claimed amount. Also provided legal services to the client in connection with settlement with a subcontractor in a related arbitration case before the CIETAC(Beijing).
Represented the Chinese subsidiary of a well-known UK medical company as the claimant in initiating a project management and cooperation agreement dispute before the Shanghai International Arbitration Centre (SHIAC), involving over RMB 270 million, with English as the arbitration language.
Represented an individual investor in initiating a securities investment collective fund trust contract dispute before the Beijing Arbitration Commission (BAC), involving over RMB 33 million. The parties reached a settlement agreement, achieving a satisfactory result for the client.
Represented a Sichuan energy conservation investment company in initiating a loan and cooperation agreement dispute before the Beijing Arbitration Commission (BAC), involving over RMB 25 million. The arbitral tribunal upheld all of the client’s claims.
Represented a well-known Wuhan enterprise in initiating a tax dispute arbitration under an equipment procurement contract before the Beijing Arbitration Commission (BAC), involving over RMB 15 million. Ultimately persuaded the counterparty to accept most of the client’s claims, reaching a comprehensive settlement and achieving a satisfactory result.
Represented an offshore USD fund of a well-known fund in initiating an equity and creditor’s rights investment agreement (repurchase and bond settlement) dispute against a domestic high-tech enterprise and its founder before the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC). The arbitration was conducted under the HKIAC Administered Arbitration Rules, involving over USD 20 million, with Hong Kong law as the governing law and English as the arbitration language. Assisted the client in successfully preserving the counterparty’s property in mainland China. Ultimately forced the counterparty to proactively settle with the client before the hearing and pay most of the claimed amount, achieving a satisfactory result.
Represented seven fund parties in initiating two equity transfer contract disputes against the NYSE-listed subsidiary of a Chinese company before the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC). The arbitration was conducted under the HKIAC Administered Arbitration Rules, with Chinese law as the governing law and English as the arbitration language, forcing the counterparty to settle with the clients after the hearing and pay most of the claimed amount.
Represented a BVI wind technology company in initiating a technology cooperation and development agreement dispute before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), involving over RMB 800 million. The arbitration was conducted under the SIAC Arbitration Rules, with Chinese law as the governing law and Chinese as the arbitration language. The arbitral tribunal ultimately upheld the client’s main claims and dismissed all of the counterparty’s counterclaims.
Represented a well-known central state-owned electric power enterprise in initiating a power plant construction project agreement dispute against an Indian government-owned company before the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), involving over USD 150 million. The seat of arbitration was Kolkata, India, and English was the arbitration language. The arbitral tribunal ultimately upheld most of the client’s claims and dismissed almost all of the counterparty’s counterclaims. Also provided support to the client in the subsequent enforcement proceedings.
Represented a well-known Taiwanese enterprise in initiating a convenience store shareholder agreement dispute arbitration before the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), involving over USD 115 million, with English as the arbitration language. Also assisted the client in handling parallel Cayman Islands court proceedings and other domestic strategic responses.
Represented the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the respondent in an investment arbitration case filed by Ansung Housing, a Korean company, before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) (Case No. ARB/14/25). This was the first investment arbitration case against the PRC in which a final award was rendered. The arbitral tribunal dismissed all of Ansung’s claims, finding them “manifestly lacking in legal merit”.
Represented a real estate development company in an application to the Beijing Fourth Intermediate People’s Court to successfully set aside an arbitral award rendered by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) in a dispute over an equity transfer agreement with an investment company.
Provided legal services to Chinachem Group and its subsidiaries in an equity dispute with China Minsheng Bank before the Supreme People’s Court, involving a subject matter of over RMB 1.6 billion.
Represented Korea Haeahn Architecture in appealing to the Jiangsu Provincial Higher People’s Court against a first-instance ruling by the Wuxi Intermediate People’s Court that it lacked jurisdiction over a letter of credit dispute between the client, a Hong Kong special purpose company, and a Wuxi company. The appeal was rejected by the Jiangsu Provincial Higher People’s Court. Further, on behalf of the client, successfully applied for retrial before the Supreme People’s Court, which revoked the rulings of the Jiangsu Provincial Higher People’s Court and the Wuxi Intermediate People’s Court holding that the courts lacked jurisdiction.
Represented INVISTA Technologies S.a.r.L., a Luxembourg subsidiary of a U.S. company, in an application to the Beijing First Intermediate People’s Court for recognition and enforcement of an arbitral award rendered by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) involving over USD 4.5 million, forcing the counterparty to settle with the client.
Represented INVISTA Technologies S.a.r.L., a Luxembourg subsidiary of a U.S. company, as the respondent in a petition to confirm the validity of an arbitration agreement administered by CIETAC under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules before the Ningbo Intermediate People’s Court and the Zhejiang Provincial Higher People’s Court. The courts ultimately dismissed the counterparty’s application to declare the arbitration agreement invalid. This was the first time a Chinese court ruled on the validity of an arbitration agreement for arbitration conducted by a Chinese arbitral institution under the UNCITRAL Rules, and the Supreme People’s Court published it as a typical case in 2014.
Represented Quipica, LLC, a U.S. company, in an application to the Deyang Intermediate People’s Court of Sichuan Province, for recognition and enforcement of an arbitral award rendered by the International Dispute Resolution Center (ICDR) involving over USD 14 million. The parties ultimately settled, achieving a satisfactory result for the client.
Represented CSI Solar(Suzhou) in applying to the Suzhou Intermediate People’s Court for non-enforcement of a domestic arbitral award involving over RMB 190 million. The court upheld the client’s claim and ruled not to enforce the award.
Represented Platinum Enterprise Management Consulting (Shanghai), a Chinese subsidiary of a UK high-end sports club, in enforcing two CIETAC arbitral awards before the Shaoxing Intermediate People’s Court, involving approximately RMB 70 million. The counterparty was forced to settle with the client, achieving a satisfactory result.