Delivering ‘advice in a way that is simple and easy to understand‘, King & Wood Mallesons‘ tax practice consistently acts in complex tax disputes, defence-side tax audits, and tax planning projects. Other areas range from transfer pricing issues, tax compliance and M&A taxation, to inbound and outbound investments, international taxation issues, and stock incentives. The team also covers personal tax planning, and wealth management and inheritance tax planning. Heading the tax offering in China, Tony Dong maintains an active practice in PRC tax and business advisory work, as well as tax dispute resolution; Bill Ye‘s workload covers tax compliance, consulting, disputes, transfer pricing, and private wealth management; and Daisy Duan has longstanding experience in providing tax advice for individuals, multinational corporations, and local and foreign enterprises. Other names to note are Zhang Ci, Liu Bo and Jessie Yu, along with associates Liu Xiang, Mona Lan and Xiaoyu Ma.

Acting for multinationals, domestic businesses and prominent funds, Zhong Lun Law Firm has an enviable market reputation for tax law advice, and individual and family wealth planning. The firm’s tax lawyers are highly experienced in cross-border taxation, its representative expertise including tax advice and tax planning services for cross-border investments and transactions. The group also comprises experts in tax-related dispute resolution. Scott Guan, Fei Wang and Mingjun Jia co-lead the practice, which showcases: Peter Ni, the firm’s former tax and wealth planning practice head; and Mark Gao, who acts for both companies and individuals on an array of tax work. The second line of active advisers includes Hengka Ji, whose wide-ranging practice encompasses international taxation and transactional tax issues; and Ashley Hu, who is experienced in the tax issues surrounding cross-border M&A transactions, along with companies’ day-to-day tax matters and ultra-high-net-worth individuals’ wealth planning.

‘Armed with a wealth of experience‘, Dacheng Law Offices‘ tax law practice covers administrative disputes, tax criminal defence matters and tax civil disputes. The team also advises on domestic and cross-border tax compliance and planning, and is involved in international taxation work at international levels. In Beijing, current China tax business group head Xuefeng Leng is ‘a discerning strategist and seasoned negotiator‘, while Guangzhou-based Yongsheng Xu leads the global tax group in China. The practice of Jinji Wei in Shenzhen covers domestic and cross-border taxation, investments, foreign exchange issues, and international trade; and Lishan Fang heads the Nanjing office’s tax professional group.

Leaving ‘a deep and good impression on clients‘, DeHeng Law Offices advises on the tax issues surrounding domestic and overseas investments, M&A transactions, restructurings, and finance deals. The team is also active in relation to the tax aspects of real estate, engineering, film and television, trade, securities, and IP. The firm additionally advises on wealth planning. Ming Yi‘s track record encompasses an approximately 20-year stint at China’s tax authorities; and Wei Sun predominantly focuses on tax inspections and responses, tax-related dispute resolution, tax risk management, and corporate tax planning. Also highly regarded, Peihua Lin ‘has a deep understanding of clients’ legal needs‘.

Fielding several members with experience of working at international accounting firms, Haiwen & Partners‘ tax practice covers general tax advisory matters, due diligence, audit support, and tax dispute resolution. The team is also active in tax structuring, and the tax aspects of major transactions. Yongmao Guo‘s experience includes assisting several Chinese businesses with their outbound investments; and his sector expertise covers several industries, including finance, real estate, energy, and investment funds. M&A specialist Wenzhen Dai provides additional partner-level support; and the tax consulting practice of counsel Li Yang covers general corporate matters, M&A, restructuring, asset and equity-related transactions, and tax dispute resolution.

Jincheng Tongda & Neal’s tax law and tax planning practice acts for a wide range of domestic and international clients, including several from the aviation, energy, transportation, and technology sectors. The Beijing-based group is particularly well known for its assistance with responding to tax authority investigations, as well as corporate and individual tax planning, and the tax side to transactions. A senior partner at the firm, team head Zhaohui Wang, a former Beijing Taxation Bureau officer, specialises in strategic tax advisory work, tax planning, tax disputes, and tax-related benefits distribution. Flanking Wang, Yingchuan Chen‘s wide-ranging expertise includes tax compliance, corporate and individual taxation, VAT, and customs duties; and associate Yuanyuan Xu regularly acts in tax-related disputes.

JunHe LLP‘s key areas include tax law advisory work, encompassing the application of tax laws and tax treaties to domestic and overseas mergers, reorganisations of domestic enterprises, and cross-border transactions. The group is also highly active in tax-related dispute resolution, its assistance including liaising with taxation officials, responding to tax audits, and pursuing taxpayers’ rights. The team additionally provides advice on customs laws. The practice is co-led by Hong Cheng, whose recent experience includes advising on tax efficient structures for new investments in China; and Tingting Zhao, who is ‘very experienced in handling tax disputes‘. The next line of key advisers includes Qing Zhang, whose industry expertise covers finance, real estate, e-commerce, media, energy, and infrastructure.

AllBright Law Offices‘ tax team predominantly focuses on tax compliance, tax planning and tax disputes, particularly in relation to domestic and foreign investments, financings, M&A deals, bankruptcies, and restructurings. The team also assists with tax resident status issues, the application of tax treaties, international tax legal risk assessments, and cross-border income credit rules. A senior partner of the firm and expert in domestic and cross-border taxation, Bo Xiao, is the tax practice’s principal figure.

Beijing DaHui Lawyers‘ tax group fields lawyers and accountants from both Beijing and Shanghai. The team focuses on the tax aspects of corporate reorganisations, M&A, and private equity and venture capital fund formations and investments. The group is also sought out to advise on individual and family wealth planning, along with the tax side to outbound investments. With ‘strong problem-solving abilities‘, former Ernst & Young Law lawyer Mei Zhang leads the practice. Zhang is an expert in providing PRC and US tax advice, as well as tax compliance assistance, to clients from the finance, TMT, healthcare, and life sciences sectors.

Routinely acting for high-net-worth families and their businesses, Commerce & Finance Law Offices‘ tax practice covers the full lifecycle of wealth management, growth and inheritance work. The group is particularly active in relation to tax planning and compliance matters. It is also highly experienced in the taxation side to complex M&A transactions. Heading up the team, Haoran Chen specialises in tax planning, private wealth, and tax and customs audit defence matters, while his sector expertise includes medical devices, education, real estate, finance, and retail. Providing partner-level support, Xiaoman Zhang‘s broad practice also comprises taxation and wealth planning.

Fangda Partners established its tax practice in August 2021, when it hired PRC tax law specialist Yan Zhao for its Beijing office (as partner and practice head) from King & Wood Mallesons. The tax practice covers a range of areas, including general tax advisory work, and the tax side to M&A deals, restructurings, IPOs, and project financings. It also assists with investment fund-related tax planning, transfer pricing, tax dispute resolution, and tax compliance. Another area of strength is tax advisory and planning services for high-net-worth individuals. Supporting Zhao at senior associate level, Linlin Cao has over a decade of tax law experience.