Zhiheng News | Zhiheng Lawyer Guo Yanqing: Going to Kashgar to convey the temperature of the rule of law with professionalism and enthusiasm

On September 10, 2025, the launch ceremony for the 2025 “1+1” China Legal Aid Volunteer Program was solemnly held in Beijing. A total of 122 lawyers from across the country gathered to participate in this significant public-service initiative. Attorney Guo Yanqing, a senior equity partner at Zhiheng (Jinan) Law Firm, took part in the event.

"1 1" The China Legal Aid Volunteer Program is a significant public welfare initiative jointly organized and implemented by the Ministry of Justice and other relevant departments. It aims to dispatch lawyers to underserved regions in central and western China to provide free legal assistance to local residents. This year, the project has attracted the active participation of numerous outstanding lawyers from across the country, demonstrating the legal profession’s strong sense of social responsibility and spirit of dedication.

Over several consecutive days of training, Attorney Guo, together with the other volunteers, systematically studied topics such as legal aid policies, the local customs and culture of the service area, key considerations for working in ethnic minority regions, and practical skills in legal aid practice. Through intensive learning and exchanges, the volunteers have further strengthened their capacity and confidence in serving at the grassroots level and the wider public.

Upon completion of the training, bathed in the early autumn morning light, this cohort of legal aid volunteers—each driven by a commitment to the rule of law—is set to embark on their journey, heading to counties and cities across the country where the flame of the rule of law is most needed. As one of the team members, Attorney Guo has been entrusted with a special mission: to travel to the Kashgar Municipal Justice Bureau in Xinjiang and undertake a year-long legal aid volunteer service.

Regarding this honorable yet challenging task, Attorney Guo shared: “For me, the ‘1+1’ initiative is not only an opportunity to engage in volunteer service, but also a heartfelt journey filled with warmth.” The true professionalism of a legal practitioner lies in the ability to scrutinize the words and phrases in case files while also heeding the voices of the people far removed from the courtroom. This trip to Kashgar is my way of responding, of being there for the people, and of making a contribution—I wish to use the law as a bridge, to step into the vibrant, everyday lives of the borderlands, transforming legal provisions into tangible, relatable assistance, so that the rule of law is not a distant set of statutes, but a safeguard and a source of hope that is truly present in people’s daily lives.

has always deeply embedded pro bono legal services in its core values, regarding social responsibility as the cornerstone and source of pride for the firm’s development. We firmly believe that the power of the law lies not only in upholding fairness and justice, but also in the warmth and hope it conveys. Attorney Guo’s recent trip west was not a solitary endeavor; behind her stands Zhiheng Jinan’s unwavering commitment to public service and the heartfelt expectations of all her colleagues.

Her presence is a vivid embodiment of the Zhiheng people’s original aspiration to uphold the rule of law for the people; her steps measure the noble journey from professional excellence to selfless dedication.

We look forward to Lawyer Guo bringing his professional wisdom to enrich the hearts of the people in Kashgar every day, and upholding the solemn oath of a legal professional through his selfless dedication. May this faint ray of light brought by Zhiheng illuminate the path of rule-of-law development in Kashgar and enable the blossoming of an even more vibrant flower of public service.