The Legal 500

Global Law Office’s head office is in Beijing, with branch offices in Shanghai and Shenzhen. Xin Zhang advised ADB in connection with China WindPower’s financing for future wind farm projects; represented IFC in relation to Epure International’s financing for waste treatment waters in China; and assisted BNP China and SCB China in relation to Trafigura’s RMB490m uncommitted revolving commodity-based financing. The ‘always reliable’ Lawrence Lin represented China Development Bank Corporation with regards to USD foreign exchange facilities for two PRC companies’ construction investments in Indonesia. Lin also acted for Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) in a $150m facility to BVI company Sinopro Enterprise in relation to its acquisition of equity interests in PRC JVCs, and advised Deutsche Bank’s Hong Kong Branch in a $260m pre-IPO financing facility to Karvin in connection with its acquisition of the whole equity interests of a PRC company. Huawei Lin acted for Standard Chartered and Citic Capital in the financing of the acquisition of a real estate project by a PRC developer. Miller Wang advised CCB Financial Leasing Corporation in an RMB1bn financial leasing with Chongqing CECIC Sanfeng Energy.

Haiwen & Partners provides advice on syndicated loan transactions, purchases and sales of non-performing loans, issuance of letters of credit, the creation, perfection and enforcement of security interests, structuring and developing new financial products, and general regulatory and compliance matters. The practice advised the lenders, led by Bank of China, in connection with a loan to APP. Additional highlights included acting for JPMorgan Real Estate Fund in connection with a $60m loan to L’Sea Holdings. Citibank is a client.

Jun He Law Offices welcomed ‘impressive lawyer’ Gang Wang from Run Ming Law Office. Wang’s practice focuses on aircraft financing and leasing, and general banking and finance. The team acted as the PRC legal counsel to China Resources SZITIC Trust in the Guangsha Nanjing Trust Loan Project, involving an RMB1.2bn bridge loan. Jianeng Lu and Yingling Wei are widely respected practitioners; as is Zheng Shujun. Zhou Jun and Jian Wang are also key contacts.

King & Wood represented a foreign bank as the agent bank of a syndicate, marking the first transaction in which a foreign bank financed an SPV established in a free trade zone. The firm assisted Asian Development Bank in its financing to Zhongran Investment in connection with the CGH Phase II project, and advised Fangchenggang Nuclear Power and the relevant project company in the project financing of Guangxi Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Station, provided by a lending group of onshore financial institutions. The ‘competent and intelligent’ Wang Ling heads the team.

Zhong Lun Law Firm represented a PRC investor on the capital structure arrangements connected to a Sino-foreign joint venture, in relation to the development of a new theme park in Shanghai. Shirley Xu is recommended for banking and project finance matters; the ‘extremely reliable lawyer’ Hui Sun is noted for infrastructure and public utility matters, and has acted in water and garbage treatment concession projects; Rong Fan is a banking lawyer who has advised both sponsors and financiers on a wide range of financial products; Wilson Huo advised several foreign-funded banks in trade finance matters. Xuebing Zhang’s experience includes acting for Merrill Lynch in the financing of Beijing Yintai Centre, and advising Citibank in the loan financing of commercial properties.

Fangda Partners advises financial institutions and corporate borrowers on a wide range of banking and financing transactions, as well as regulatory matters. Typical experience includes acting on commercial lending issues, syndicated credit facilities, security arrangements, off-balance sheet and tax driven financing, export credit, trade financing, and swap and other hedging arrangements. On the project finance side, the practice is actively involved in infrastructure developments in both the coastal area and inland China, acting for sponsors, lending banks and governmental agencies. Offices are also run from Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Fielding ‘an extremely capable’ five-strong team, Run Ming Law Office’s highlights included assisting Bank of Communions Finance Leasing in closing an aircraft leasing transaction using the SPV structure. The group, led by ‘calm and collected’ executive partner Yi Liu, has also advised Chinese and foreign leasing companies with respect to aircraft leasing businesses operated by them in the Shanghai integrated free trade area, the Tianjin Dongjiang Port free trade zone, and the Beijing Tianzhu free trade zone. Associate Wang Yaxun is also a key figure.