Asia Pacific

Skyscraper city scape with bridge and green space

China (Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong)

We have one of the most experienced China law practices in the region with the ability to advise on Hong Kong, UK and U.S. law. We have been in China for over 20 years and were one of the first international law firms to obtain official approval from the People's Republic of China (PRC) Ministry of Justice to register an office in Beijing in 1993.

Our full service practices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai, cover cross-border, multidisciplinary deals such as anti-trust, dispute resolution, distribution arrangements, financing, foreign direct investment, intellectual property, international capital markets, licensing, mergers and acquisitions, outbound investment, project finance, real estate, regulatory services, technology and telecommunications transactions.

We have around 180 lawyers and consultants in the region and we continue to look for opportunities for further growth, always considering where our clients may want to turn to us for international and local advice. This is why, during 2010, we opened offices in Sydney and Perth in Australia and entered into an exclusive association with Ginting & Reksodiputro in Indonesia. A large number of our lawyers are native speakers of, or proficient in, Mandarin and Cantonese.

We have good working relationships with a number of major local law firms in the PRC and as such are able to provide a seamless and full range of legal services to our clients.

Our experience

Aegon
Agricultural Bank of China IPO
Asian Development Bank’s CNY1.2bn offshore Renminbi bond issuance
China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec)
DBS Bank and DBS Bank China
Discovery Holdings
Fortis NV
Franshion Properties China
GE, Novartis, Schaeffler and many other multinational companies
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
International Paper
Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI)
Petrochemicals Company
Shenhua and Sasol
Commercial banks

Aegon

The acquisition of a 49% stake in Industrial Fund Management from a number of Chinese state-owned companies.

Agricultural Bank of China IPO

The world’s largest IPO at the time and one of the few dual listings on the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges, with an aggregate value of approximately USD22.1bn.

Asian Development Bank’s CNY1.2bn offshore Renminbi bond issuance

A major milestone in the development of Hong Kong as an offshore RMB financial centre. We also advised Bank of Communication on the issue of an RMB3.25bn Reg S bond. This was the first RMB-denominated bond issue by a mainland financial institution in Hong Kong in 2008 and Biosteel.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec)

Its USD2.5bn acquisition of an interest in Block 18 oil field (offshore Angola), which was Sinopec’s first acquisition of overseas upstream assets.

DBS Bank and DBS Bank China

The acquisition of the retail and commercial customer base, banking portfolios and related employees of The Royal Bank of Scotland (China) Co., Ltd. (RBS China), a subsidiary of The Royal Bank of Scotland N.V. (RBS) in China.

Discovery Holdings

Its 20% acquisition in Ping An Health, the health insurance subsidiary of China’s second-largest insurer, Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd.

Fortis NV

The sale of 50% of Fortis Investment Management to Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China Ltd. for a cash consideration of EUR2.15bn.

Franshion Properties China

Its RMB11bn (USD1.5bn) acquisition of China Jin Mao (Group) Company Limited.

GE, Novartis, Schaeffler and many other multinational companies

Over 20 merger filings in relation to offshore and onshore M&A transactions in China in the past two years.

International Finance Corporation (IFC)

The project financing for the development and construction of the 201MW (megawatt) Gansu Guazhou Ganhekou No.8 Wind Farm in Gansu Province, western China.

International Paper

Its acquisition of the Asian business of SCA, including 13 entities in the PRC and Southeast Asia.

Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI)

A world-scale refinery and petrochemical joint venture with Sinopec in Guangdong province.

Petrochemicals Company

The financing and refinancing of the Nanhai Project, the largest foreign-invested petrochemical plant in the PRC at that time.

Shenhua and Sasol

A world-scale coal to liquid (CTL) project (the Project) in Ningxia, China. We act as project counsel.

Commercial banks

The financing of the Shandong Power Project, four coal-fired power stations with 3,000MW aggregate capacity.

Our offices

Beijing

Allen & Overy LLP

46th Floor China World Tower A, No. 1 Jian Guo Men Wai Avenue Beijing

Beijing

100004
+86 10 6535 4188
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Hong Kong

Allen & Overy

9th Floor, Three Exchange Square, Central

Hong Kong
+852 2974 7000
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Shanghai

Allen & Overy LLP

15F, Phase II, Shanghai IFC, 8 Century Avenue, Pudong

Shanghai

200120
+86 21 2036 7000
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News & insights

News: 04 DECEMBER 2019

The People’s Republic of China issues its largest-ever US dollar sovereign bond

Allen & Overy has advised the joint lead managers in connection with the offering of USD6 billion sovereign bonds by the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China.

Publications: 13 NOVEMBER 2019

Regulation of technology import: China

Despite being both lawful and commonplace to choose foreign governing law and foreign forum in a technology import contract entered into between a foreign transferor and a Chinese transferee, it is impracticable for the foreign party to the contract to avoid the Chinese court when it seeks to enforce against the Chinese counterparty. As the Chinese court is virtually inevitable where enforcement is sought against the Chinese transferee, so is the application of mandatory Chinese law.

News: 13 NOVEMBER 2019

The People’s Republic of China issues the first Euro-denominated sovereign bonds in 15 years

Allen & Overy has advised the joint lead managers in connection with the offering of EUR4 billion sovereign bonds by the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China. This is China’s first Euro-denominated bond issuance in 15 years.

News: 30 OCTOBER 2019

Allen & Overy advises joint lead managers in relation to the debut notes issuance with credit enhancement provided by China Huarong Financial Leasing Co., Ltd

Allen & Overy has advised the joint lead managers in connection with the debut issuance of USD300 million 3.25% notes due 2020 (the “Notes”) by Avenue International Holding Limited (the “Issuer”) with the benefit of a keepwell and asset purchase deed provided by China Huarong Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. (“Huarong Leasing”), marking the first international debt securities issuance of a similar deal structure by the financial leasing arm of a Chinese asset management company.