China

King & Wood is widely recognised as one of China's leading dispute resolution practices, combining deep technical expertise with an extensive understanding of the markets and industries in which its clients operate, both domestically and across borders. With over 100 partners and more than 400 lawyers, the team is among the largest of its kind in China, bringing over two decades of experience to domestic and cross-border litigation and alternative dispute resolution. The practice covers the full spectrum of dispute resolution services, representing multinational corporations, major state-owned and private enterprises, and financial institutions before courts at all levels, major arbitration institutions worldwide, and administrative agencies across China. Its core strengths span financial and commercial litigation, securities and capital markets disputes, real estate, and cross-border dispute resolution. 

The firm's dispute resolution bench features a number of highly regarded practitioners across its key practice areas. Yue Dai is a specialist in cross-border commercial arbitration and litigation, with a broad portfolio spanning finance, corporate, and data-related disputes across leading institutions including the ICC, HKIAC, CIETAC, and the Supreme People's Court. Ya Peng brings extensive experience in capital markets, corporate M&A, financial leasing, and real estate disputes, and is known for her holistic, business-focused approach to complex and high-profile matters. Yuwu Liu specialises in cross-border arbitration and litigation and has represented clients in proceedings before virtually every major international arbitration institution, with particularly notable experience in multi-jurisdictional disputes. On the government and regulatory side, Wei Wu advises on compliance risk, enterprise crisis management, and civil, commercial, and administrative retrial proceedings across a wide range of industries. Haitao (Harry) Liu is a seasoned criminal defence and compliance practitioner with deep experience handling high-profile investigations and prosecutions in China. Yuanyuan Zhu specialises in integrity and compliance, with particular expertise in representing clients in investigations and sanction proceedings before multilateral development banks, as well as advising multinational companies on FCPA matters alongside US counsel. 

In the area of commercial real estate, the firm acted as counsel for Guangxi Guijian Real Estate Co in enforcement proceedings involving a respondent who had sought to evade enforcement through the use of ostensibly legitimate state-owned asset transactions. The firm successfully challenged the validity of the transaction structure and recovered Rmb50 million yuan that had been transferred away by the respondent, with the client's position upheld through all stages of proceedings up to the Supreme People's Court. The case was recognised as one of the Supreme People's Court's ‘Hundred Outstanding Judgments’ and directly influenced the regulation of enforcement evasion by judicial authorities in China. 

In the field of international arbitration, the firm has been acting as counsel for a central state-owned enterprise contractor since 2022 in a high-value cross-border dispute arising from an iron smelting construction project in Indonesia. The arbitration, being administered at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, involves claims by both parties exceeding $1.4 billion in total — reflecting the significant scale and complexity of the cross-border construction dispute. 

In the area of government and regulatory, the firm acted as counsel for Postal Savings Bank of China following complaints by a coalition of international non-governmental organisations alleging that the bank had financial links to a flagship Belt and Road Initiative hydropower project in Cambodia that had attracted significant criticism over its environmental and social impacts. A finding against the bank would have exposed it to a lengthy investigation and ongoing public scrutiny with serious consequences for its reputation and financing opportunities. Beyond the immediate outcome, the case produced a broader precedent that has since helped other Chinese enterprises navigate similar compliance obligations. 

Moving onto financial services regulatory, the firm acted as counsel for a securities service provider in one of the most significant securities misrepresentation cases in Chinese legal history, involving financial fraud spanning a decade, claims initially brought by nearly 2,500 investors, and a total claim value of approximately Rmb2.1 billion. The scale and complexity of the proceedings, with over 24 defendants and more than ten court hearings spanning two and a half years, made it an exceptionally challenging matter. The firm secured a complete victory for the client at first instance — a notable outcome given the prevailing tendency in such cases for intermediaries to bear heavy liability — and continues to represent the client in the ongoing second-instance proceedings. The first-instance judgment is widely regarded as a landmark, helping to clarify the boundaries of liability for intermediaries in securities misrepresentation cases and signalling a shift towards more nuanced adjudication in this area of Chinese capital markets law. 

Client feedback 

“They went into details of the case, equipped with good understanding of the subject products, and also very good litigation strategies and skills.” – Banking and financial services 

“They are very strategic. They suggested a clever procedural tactic that had a major substantive effect.  They are very responsive and on top of things.” – Commercial arbitration 

“The firm demonstrates deep familiarity with the regulatory standards and procedures frequently encountered by our company. They are proficient at providing accurate legal counsel. Their responsiveness is exceptional, with the capability to be on-site at a moment's notice to handle urgent situations. Furthermore, the firm shows a strong understanding of our business needs, enabling them to offer practical legal advice that is closely aligned with our commercial objectives.” – Government and regulatory 

Zhuonan Du 

“Excellent at managing a complex case and larger team of lawyers. Very responsive.” 

James Guan 

“Good sense of businesses, ability to navigate complicated issues and provide feasible solutions.” 

Yuanyuan Zhu 

“Zhu demonstrates a keen understanding of the company's needs and expectations, consistently delivering targeted solutions. She provides hands-on legal guidance for critical projects and extends her value beyond strictly legal matters by offering constructive advice on compliance management and enhancing internal coordination to drive projects forward.” 

Dongxia Xia and Ting Yang 

"I wish to express my full recognition and deep trust in Dongxia Xia, Ting Yang, and their team. Their team holds a preeminent reputation in securities litigation in China. The highly professional legal services they provided to us were truly impressive. Throughout our collaboration, the team has demonstrated distinct strengths. Primarily, their exceptional expertise allows for a nuanced analysis of complex issues, assisting us in developing comprehensive, effective, methodical and reasonable litigation strategies. Secondly, they exhibit seamless internal coordination, promptly mobilising specialists from various fields to deliver top-tier legal services. Furthermore, during specific cases, our communication has been highly efficient and smooth. Their proactive and dedicated work ethic are truly impressive. Notably, during routine legal consultations, they always provide prompt, professional feedback tailored to our needs, effectively supporting our operations.”