Beijing-based Jingsh Law Firm has officially initiated preparations to establish three offices in North Korea, South Korea, and Tokyo, Japan, with the goal of expanding the reach of its legal services in East Asia. This move could position Jingsh as the first Chinese firm to open an office in North Korea.

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.

Jointide Law Firm, headquartered in China’s Shandong Province, has established a new office in Seoul. It is believed to be the first firm from that province to launch in South Korea.

Beijing-based Yingke Law Firm has launched its first independent Southeast Asian office in Thailand, which will be led by partner Wang Qianqian.

Beijing-headquartered DeHeng Law Offices has established its first Southeast Asia office in Vientiane, Laos, led by director Jia Hui.

China has embarked on new diplomatic outreaches in the post-pandemic era, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is beginning to play an increasingly important role, becoming a new destination of choice for Chinese companies keen to invest overseas. Legal experts, however, caution that despite the abundant opportunities there, prospective investors must prepare early for risks.

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.

Beijing-headquartered Han Kun Law Offices has opened an office in Singapore, the firm’s seventh location, and its first overseas branch.

Beijing-headquartered DeHeng Law Offices has recently opened a new office in Seoul, which is the firm’s 51st branch globally.