East Asia - China

2

Projects and energy: foreign firms

Clifford Chance LLP

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Offering ‘high-quality, professional and approachable’ legal services, Clifford Chance LLP assists its clients in navigating rapid market and regulatory shifts, from entering new markets to managing risk and fortifying business operations. The practice’s capabilities include climate change-related projects, such as in the renewable energy, clean technology, energy transition, and sustainable development spheres. Leading the team is Jiahua Ni, a banking and finance specialist with a focus on PRC-related cross-border financings, guiding major Chinese banks in outbound financings spanning Asia, the Middle East, South America, and Africa. Kelly Gregory and Terence Foo have carved a niche in cross-border M&As and joint ventures, particularly within the energy sector. Maggie Lo offers insights to both Chinese and international financial institutions on cross-border project financings, while Vicky Ma brings a profound understanding of international project financing transactions, with deep involvement in Belt and Road energy and infrastructure projects across Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Partners and other lawyers are generally of very high quality, professional and approachable.’

  • 'Vicky Ma impresses with her strong legal knowledge and commercial acumen in all sorts of deals, from corporate loans to complicated acquisition and project finance; she is also very approachable and responsive and is particularly good at handling difficult dynamics.’

Key clients

  • China Construction Bank
  • China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd
  • China Three Gorges Corporation
  • Shanghai LEGOLAND Co., Ltd.
  • Bank of China
  • Standard Chartered Bank
  • China Merchants Bank
  • JCHX Mining Management Co., Ltd.
  • Ming Yang Smart Energy
  • Tianqi Lithium
  • Plastic Omnium
  • SABIC
  • Total Energies
  • EDF

Work highlights

  • Advised the lenders (including China Construction Bank Corporation London Branch and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited London Branch) in connection with a €0.6 billion term loan facility supporting the acquisition by INEOS of a 50% equity interest in Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical Company Limited.
  • Advised China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd on the development of a non-integrated LNG receiving terminal project in Sri Lanka, including an FSRU situated offshore Kerawalapitiya and mooring facility together with an offshore and onshore pipeline.
  • Advised China Three Gorges Spain on its agreement to acquire a 619MW portfolio of photovoltaic projects in Spain from Nexwell Power and its strategic partner Ibox Energy, both units of Nexwell Group. The portfolio comprises 27 solar PV plants mainly located in the south of Spain, at different stages of development: operating, under construction and in advanced development.

Lawyers

Leading individuals

Jiahua Ni

Jiahua Ni

Clifford Chance LLP

Jiahua Ni is a partner in the Global Financial Markets Group of Clifford Chance. He specializes in PRC-related cross-border financings and focuses on advising outbound financings for major Chinese banks. He also has extensive experience in advising international banks on their financings into China and assists clients in resolving complicated issues in PRC foreign exchange, security and other financial regulatory aspects. Jiahua joined Clifford Chance in 2007 and became a partner since 2013. Jiahua is admitted in New York and also holds a PRC legal professional qualification certificate (currently not a PRC practising lawyer). Jiahua is a native Mandarin speaker and fluent in English.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Jiahua Ni

Other key lawyers

Kelly Gregory, Terence Foo, Maggie Lo, Vicky Ma

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