Is the defender of first instance obliged to write an appeal?

No, according to the content of the Criminal Procedure Law of People's Republic of China (PRC), it is known that lawyers are not obliged to write an appeal, and the defender of first instance is obliged to write an appeal unless both parties have an agreement. Defenders can be lawyers, people's organizations or units where criminal suspects and defendants work, or guardians, relatives and friends of criminal suspects and defendants. But only a lawyer can be appointed to defend.