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Guantao Law Firm's deal list this year shows its growing presence in major capital markets listings for Chinese companies, especially on the Shanghai and Hong Kong Stock exchanges.

Clients seem pleased with the service. "All the members in Guantao's team did a great job," one client says. "The performance of Mr Cui Li Guo and Mr Li Yan is especially impressive. The technical ability of Guantao is very good. Specifically, the lawyers involved in this project can use their enrichment knowledge and expertise to provide helpful advice and effective resolution proposals. We are impressed by their efficient and creative work. Their communication ability is also good – we think their experience enables them to understand the client's commercial needs and expectations very well, and they helped us to make informed decisions."

One key deal this year was BBMG's IPO of A shares and Merger of Hebei Taihang Cement. In this deal, BBMG merged with Taihing Cement by issuing A-shares at a ratio of 1.2:1 in exchange for all of Taihing Cement's shares. BBMG then owned and incorporated all of Taihing cement's assets and debts, and the A shares issued were listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The IPO was especially complex because it not only involved reorganisation of listed company assets, but the deal also had to be compliant with Chinese capital market regulations.

On the debt side, partners Sun Dongfeng, Liu Rong, Nie Rui and Dong Jianjin advised the underwriters in the issuance of Rmb23 billion ($3.5 billion) of convertible bonds for China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec). The partners formed a special team with English, finance and securities capability on order to advise the underwriting syndicate led by Goldman Sachs Gao Hua Securities Company. The experience deepened the firm's expertise in advising foreign-invested securities firms as underwriters.

Guantao Law Firm fields a strong team that seems to be getting some solid M&A deals in the market. One such transaction saw the team advise Ming Fai Holdings on its acquisition of the entire issued share capital and the related shareholder's loan of All Team Group. Ming Fai International is a Hong Kong Stock Exchange listed company incorporated in the Cayman Islands. The full consideration was for Rmb250 million ($39 million), with Rmb150 million in cash and Rmb100 million by issuance of shares of Ming Fai International.

Guantao Law Firm has a growing presence in the Chinese private equity space, as demonstrated by its impressive client and deal list over the past year. Partners Sun Dongying and Xiao Hongming lead the firm's department

One notable deal from last year was the initiation, establishment and raising of Aerospace Industry Funds. The fund was raised by Aerospace Investment Holding Company, Beijing Yizhuang International Investment Development Company, Haidian District state-owned capital management centre, CITIC Group and Aerospace Industry Investment Fund Management.