Leading international law firm Clifford Chance has advised FountainVest Partners on its investment as part of a consortium including Morgan Stanley Infrastructure and Olympus Capital, in Zhaoheng Hydropower Limited, a privately owned holding company operating hydropower assets in China. The consortium is investing a second US$150 million following an initial US$150 million investment in Zhaoheng in 2010.

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Baker & McKenzie recently advised China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited (“CEA”) on its joint venture agreement with Jetstar International Group Holdings Co. Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas Airways Limited (“Qantas”), to establish Jetstar Hong Kong, a Hong Kong-based Jetstar-branded low cost airline. CEA and Qantas are investing up to USD198 million in the joint venture.

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Covington & Burling is pleased to announce the addition of Weishi Li as a partner to its corporate team, further bolstering the firm’s global transactional and IP capabilities in the life sciences and technology sectors. Ms. Li will be based in Shanghai when that office opens.

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International law firm Simmons & Simmons has advised Shenyang Jinbei Vehicle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. on an acquisition creating a joint venture in Russia.

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Herbert Smith has recently advised Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited (“ICBC”) on its issue of RMB 1 billion (US$157 million) three-year fixed-rate bonds due 2015. This is the first overseas RMB bond issue by ICBC, the world’s largest bank in terms of market capitalisation.

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Simon Kai-Tse Cheong has joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm’s Corporate and Finance and Bankruptcy practice groups, based in the firm’s Beijing office. Cheong joins from the Chinese law firm Zhong Lun in Beijing.

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Skadden is acting on the proposed US$3.5 billion going-private transaction for Focus Media Holding Ltd., a leading media company that operates China’s largest lifestyle targeted interactive digital media network. Skadden is representing Mr. Jason Nanchun Jiang, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Focus Media, and his affiliates. Mr. Jiang is acting as part of a consortium, also comprising The Carlyle Group, CITIC Capital Partners, CDH Investments, China Everbright Limited and FountainVest Partners, on the proposed acquisition. This transaction would be the largest ever delisting of a New York-listed Chinese company.

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Herbert Smith has advised Sinopec, one of China’s largest energy and petrochemical companies, on its agreement to acquire a 49% stake in Canadian company Talisman Energy Inc’s UK North Sea business for $1.5 billion. The deal was signed on 23 July 2012.

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International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer today appointed Gang Yuan (袁钢) as Head of Energy and Natural Resources in China.

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Ince & Co announced today that it has opened an office in Beijing. Ince is one of the first English maritime law firms to open a third Greater China office, with offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

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