Baker McKenzie FenXun boasts a robust team of tax lawyers with expertise that encompasses all facets of tax practice, from M&A tax planning to tax audits and controversies. The practice offers experience including direct tax, transfer pricing, VAT, customs, and personal tax. The department is led by Brendan Kelly, who provides valuable insights to cross-border clients, helping them understand the tax and legal nuances of investing in China. Amy Ling offers guidance on M&A, divestitures, and supply chain structures, while Nancy Lai’s vast repertoire includes assisting international and Chinese firms in various industries with their inbound and outbound investments. Further strengthening the firm’s China practice, key figures from FenXun Partners include Jinghua Liu, who focuses on PRC taxation, controversy and international tax planning; Abe Zhao, a transfer pricing specialist; Jason Wen, who addresses PRC business and tax laws concerning foreign investment; and Frank Pan, focusing on trade actions.
Tax: foreign firms in China
Baker McKenzie FenXun
Practice head(s):
Brendan Kelly
Other key lawyers:
Amy Ling; Nancy Lai; Jinghua Liu; Abe Zhao; Jason Wen; Frank Pan; Luis Zhang
DLA Piper
DLA Piper offers a comprehensive suite of specialised tax practices, from transfer pricing to executive compensation and personal tax planning. The firm’s capabilities cover both international and domestic tax challenges, including corporate tax planning, M&A tax matters, and dispute resolution, with expertise that extends to structuring inbound and outbound investments, supply chain management, and contract manufacturing relationships. Leading the practice are Windson Li, stationed in Beijing, and Tina Xia and Anderson Lam, both spearheading the team from Hong Kong. Li caters to a plethora of industries, providing China-centric and cross-border corporate legal and tax services, while Xia brings to the table her rich experience including China’s inbound and outbound investment, corporate structuring, and customs compliance.
Practice head(s):
Windson Li; Anderson Lam; Tina Xia
Testimonials
‘Excellent international cross-border business experience. Good language skills in speaking and writing. Integrated legal and tax offering. Understanding interaction with various foreign tax and legal systems.’
‘They have the ability to explain technically complex issues in a clear and understandable manner. Offer relevant sector expertise. Pleasant personalities, easy to approach. Tax partner Windson Li is outstanding!’
‘DLA Piper’s tax team in Shanghai listen to us and understand our issues and needs. They have a very unique perspective of views and most importantly, they provide holistic solutions that not only covers China tax law, but also company law, foreign exchange regulation and other China-specific issues. Their advice is extremely helpful as compared to that of other typical accounting firms. ’
‘Windson Li is the Tax partner who stands out for his ability and willingness to clearly convey his thoughts and views. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a business advisor. ’
Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I.
Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. offers comprehensive advisories that encompass areas from M&A tax planning, and group reorganisations, to joint ventures and project financing, with proficiencies including individual income taxation, customs, and foreign exchange controls. At the forefront of the firm’s China tax practice is Min Guo, whose expertise involves advising companies on their foreign investments in China, particularly within the energy and industry sectors. Guo’s wide-ranging experience includes a plethora of PRC and international tax, accounting, customs, and foreign exchange control matters.
Practice head(s):
Min Guo
Key clients
Aluminum Corporation of China
Biomérieux
Clarins
Datawords
Framatome
Gant
Ipsen
Renault
Total
Work highlights
- Advised Datawords, a Multicultural Ingenuity digital expert, on all legal and tax aspects of its acquisition of award-winning integrated communication Chinese company Switching-Time, with the support of Keensight Capital, Datawords’ majority shareholder, to empower international brands with digital campaign solutions in China.
- Advised Ipsen, a leading European biopharmaceutical company, with a focus on transformative medicines in three key therapeutic areas: oncology, rare disease and neuroscience, on the Chinese legal and tax aspects of the sale of its global consumer healthcare (the CHC Sale) branch to Mayoly Splinder, an independent French family-run pharmaceutical company.
CMS
CMS offers comprehensive ‘one-stop tax solutions’ for cross-border transactions, spanning sectors ranging from automotive and manufacturing to finance, energy, and logistics. The firm’s China tax practice is led by Nicolas Zhu and counsel Gilbert Shen. Zhu, who serves French and French-speaking clients, excels in providing tax advice, planning, and transfer. Meanwhile, Shen demonstrates his expertise in devising effective holding structures, facilitating company mergers, and managing a suite of tax intricacies associated with cross-border transactions.
Practice head(s):
Nicolas Zhu; Gilbert Shen
Testimonials
‘The CMS tax team has solid professional knowledge, is familiar with tax theory and practice, and can provide one-stop tax solutions.’
‘Counsel Gilbert Shen is familiar with tax practices in various places, and assists companies in accurately understanding and interpreting tax laws to avoid tax risks.’
K&L Gates
K&L Gates offers comprehensive commercial and tax advice encompassing planning, cross-border operations, compliance, litigation, and wealth management, serving a broad client base that ranges from Fortune 500 companies to startups. The practice is spearheaded by Roberta Chang, a tax advisory and controversy specialist who guides multinational companies through complex cross-border tax challenges, including acquisitions and corporate reshuffling. Associate Anita Zhou develops tax strategies tailored to multinationals’ global operations, with expertise spanning tax planning and compliance to transfer pricing and customs matters.
Practice head(s):
Roberta Chang
Other key lawyers:
Anita Zhou; Kate Chen
Key clients
Luye Pharma
Work highlights
- Assisting Luye Pharma with negotiating and implementing its distribution partnerships arrangements with pharmaceutical companies globally.
Cuatrecasas
Cuatrecasas advises local Chinese enterprises and foreign entities involved in Chinese transactions, notably within sectors such as automotive, industrial engineering, chemicals, and life sciences. The firm’s China tax practice consists of senior associate Grace Lin, who offers counsel to multinational corporate groups on both global and local transactions, as well as to expatriates in China.
Practice head(s):
Grace Lin
Key clients
Iberia
Fagor Metal-Forming Machine Tool Kunshan
Gorlan Team
Fagor Ederlan Group
Arteche Group
Maier Group
Cikautxo
Mondragon Assembly
Mota-Engil
Martico Valencia