Sinopharm Group, an investment consortium led by Sinopharm Group, and China Traditional Chinese Medicine Holdings (China TCM) recently announced a take-private deal for the Hong Kong-listed China TCM through a scheme of arrangement.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and JunHe are advising Chinese footwear and apparel maker Belle Fashion Group on its planned Hong Kong IPO that is set to raise between $500 million and $1 billion. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Haiwen & Partners are representing the joint sponsors.

Keen to regain its footing as an international entertainment hub, Hong Kong had been desperately seeking a victory. But a recent attempt to score a goal on the football pitch has turned into a situation that has gone beyond the realm of sports, and instead become a matter of international relations.

Morrison & Foerster and Zhong Lun Law Firm have advised Hong Kong-based private equity firm Ascendent Capital on its $1.66 billion bid to take Chinese automation control system provider Hollysys private. The latter is being represented by Davis Polk & Wardwell and Haiwen & Partners.

PRC firm Haiwen & Partners has added yet another partner in its Beijing and Hong Kong offices after hiring M&A expert Fu Duan from Chinese tech giant Alibaba.

Haiwen & Partners has hired two key Mayer Brown projects partners: Beijing-based Hallam Chow, who was the head of the China projects practice; and Boya Shen, director of projects, who split his time between Beijing and Hong Kong.

PRC law firm Haiwen & Partners has hired Hong Kong capital market veterans Tom Chau, Wang Zhong, and Isaac Chen as partners from Herbert Smith Freehills. The trio will split their time between Haiwen’s Beijing and Hong Kong offices.

Davis Polk & Wardwell and King & Wood Mallesons are advising Chinese liquor company ZJLD Group on its planned $812 million IPO on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Haiwen & Partners acting for the underwriters.

Reopened borders, scrapped restrictions, and conciliatory policies have come as relief to PRC law firms in Hong Kong, with economic activities in Greater China expected to steadily pick up following a difficult pandemic period. While lawyers are wary of an uncertain regulatory landscape and moderate investor confidence, they are also banking on their unique positioning as a bridge between China and the rest of the world. 

Linklaters and Haiwen & Partners have advised China Tourism Group Duty Free Corporation on its $2.1 billion listing in Hong Kong, with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Jia Yuan Law Offices advising the joint underwriters.