ENG

  • Jun CHENG

    Equity Partner / Beijing

  • Tel +86-10-5957-2288

    Email chengjun@zhonglun.com

  • Practices

    Cross-border Investment/M&A, Construction & Project Development, Financing

  • Industries

    Mining & Natural Resources, Urban Infrastructure, Real Estate, Transportation & Logistics

CV

Jun CHENG

Mr. Jun Cheng graduated from Renmin University of China with a master's degree in law in 1997. He then pursued further studies in France and received his PhD from the University de Paris I (Sorbonne) with the highest distinction for his doctoral dissertation. Mr. Cheng passed the bar exam at the Paris Bar Court of Appeal and was called to the French Bar, making him one of the few Chinese lawyers qualified to practice law in both China and France. He has been recognized as a Band 1 lawyer by Chambers Global & Chambers Asia Pacific/Greater China Region and lauded as a highly recommended lawyer by IFLR 1000 in energy and infrastructure, corporate and M&A, and banking and finance. He was also selected into the Belt and Road Cross-border Lawyers Pool of the National Lawyers Association and the National Foreign-related Lawyers Pool of the Ministry of Justice. Several projects led by him have been recognized as "Deal of the Year".

Mr. Cheng's team specializes in Chinese enterprises' cross-border investment and M&A, especially in mining and natural resources, overseas energy & power sectors, and large-scale infrastructure projects. Mr. Cheng has managed more than 100 large-scale Chinese overseas investment projects, many of which are national-level cooperative projects with significant international influence. Mr. Cheng has handled hundreds of large-scale Chinese enterprises' overseas investment projects, with his practice covering more than 100 jurisdictions. He has built strong and long-term rapport with many large state-owned enterprise groups, leading banks, investment funds, and Sinosure. He has provided overseas investment training for domestic and overseas enterprises at the invitation of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.

Representative Matters

Cross-border Mineral & Natural Resources Projects

  • Advised Export-Import Bank of China, China Railway Co., Ltd., and China Water Resources and Hydropower Construction Corporation on a multibillion US dollar mining and infrastructure reconstruction project led by Chinese enterprises in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was one of the most successful projects carried out on the resource financed infrastructure (RFI) basis by Chinese enterprises in Africa

  • Advised China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. on the Deziwa copper and cobalt mine investment project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Advised a large Sichuan-based private-sector enterprise on negotiations with the Cameroonian government regarding the Mining Convention for the Mbalam-Nabeba Iron Project

  • Advised China-Africa Development Fund and CNNC Overseas Uranium Industry Co., Ltd. on a uranium mining project in Namibia

  • Advised China-Africa Development Fund/Wuhan Iron and Steel Company Limited on the acquisition of a mining right in Liberia

  • Advised Sinomine Resource Group Co., Ltd. on its acquisition of the US-based Cabot Corporation and its wholly owned UK subsidiary, including the acquisition of the Tanco Project, which is the world's largest cesium garnet mine

  • Advised Sichuan Road & Bridge (Group) Corporation Ltd. on its acquisition of the Colluli Potash Mine Project in Eritrea, one of the world's largest undeveloped potash mines

  • Advised Shandong Gold Group Co., Ltd. on its privatization of Hengxing Gold from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange following its HKD 3 billion acquisition by scheme of arrangement

  • Advised Shanghai Pengxin Group on its acquisition of a copper mining company established in Democratic Republic of the Congo by acquiring shares in a BVI company

  • Advised Sinohydro Corporation Limited on its investment in a Mozambique limestone mine and investment in and construction of a cement plant

  • Advised Chifeng Jilong Gold Mining Co., Ltd. on its acquisition of the Bibiani gold mine project in Ghana and the dispute resolution proceedings related to it

  • Advised Wuhuan Engineering Co., Ltd. on its investment in an Algerian phosphate, which is the first fertilizer complex project in Algeria and has a proposed total investment of around USD 7 billion

  • Advised China Railway Construction Corporation International Investment Co., Ltd. on its acquisition of a partial interest in Cardinal Resources, which operates a gold mine in Ghana

  • Advised a consortium of several large central enterprises on its acquisition of an iron mine in Brazil

  • Advised Sinomine Resource Group Co., Ltd. on its acquisition of the Bikita lithium mine in Zimbabwe

  • Advised Sichuan Fulin Enterprise Group Co., Ltd. on its investment in a copper mine in Uganda

  • Advised Yunnan Metallurgical Xinli Titanium Industry Co., Ltd. on a titanium mine development project in Mozambique

  • Advised Sichuan Road & Bridge (Group) Corporation Ltd. on its acquisition of the Asmara copper and gold mine in Eritrea

  • Advised Chengxin Lithium Group Co., Ltd. on its acquisition of the Sabi Star lithium project in Zimbabwe

  • Advised Jinyuan Ep Co., Ltd. on its acquisition of a lithium brine extraction project in Argentina

  • Advised Shandong Gold Group Co., Ltd. on its bid for Canadian gold mining company IAMGOLD

  • Advised China Development Bank Corporation on its investment in the Aktogai sulphide mine in Kazakhstan

  • Advised Tianqi Lithium Corporation on its acquisition of shares in TSX-listed Nemaska

  • Advised a subsidiary of the State Development and Investment Corporation on its acquisition of a limestone mine and a cement plant construction project in Indonesia

  • Advised Amer International Group on its acquisition of a molybdenum mine in the United States

  • Advised Sinohydro Corporation Limited on its partial acquisition of TSX-Listed MagIndustries, which operates a potash mine in the Republic of Congo

  • Advised China Communications Construction on its acquisition of a salt project in Djibouti

  • Advised Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co., Ltd. on its disposal of the Mikas copper project in Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Advised China National Chemical Engineering Group Corporation Ltd. on investment in and development of a zirconium titanium placer in Mauritania

  • Advised Huayou International Mining (Hong Kong) Limited on its nickel mine project in Zambia

  • Advised China National Materials Cement Co., Ltd. on a limestone mine and cement production project in Zambia

  • Advised China Road & Bridge Construction on a limestone mine and cement production project in Zambia

  • Advised Zhonghui International Mining Industry Group Limited on its copper mine project in Zambia

  • Advised Shandong Gold Group Co., Ltd. on its gold mine acquisition from Glencore in Kazakhstan

  • Advised Sinohydro Corporation Limited on its potash mine project in the Republic of the Congo

  • Advised China Communications Construction Company Limited on its potash mine project in Ethiopia

  • Advised China National Native Produce and Animal By-products Import and Export Corporation on its sale of forestry assets in Gabon

  • Advised Shantou Atomic Culture Communication Co., Ltd. on its acquisition of forestry assets

  • Advised a large domestic enterprise on its acquisition of a bauxite project in Guinea

  • Advised a listed private-sector company on its acquisitions of lithium mine in Tanzania

  • Advised a private-sector company on its acquisitions of lithium mines in Mongolia and Nigeria

  • Advised a listed private-sector company on its acquisition of a lithium mine in Mongolia

  • Advised a large private-sector listed company on its investment in a lithium mine development project in Bolivia

  • Advised a new energy material high-tech listed company on its acquisition of a nickel mine in Indonesia

  • Advised a large listed enterprise on its acquisition of lithium mine in Zimbabwe


Cross-Border Energy & Power Projects

  • Advised Shenyang TBEA Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd. on the Amaria hydropower station project in the Republic of Guinea, which is the first BOT project in Guinea and Shenyang’s largest oversea investment project with a total investment of USD 1.15 billion

  • Advised Hunan International Cooperative Private Equity Management Co., Ltd. on its investment in the Kom Ombo 200 MW photovoltaic power plant project in Egypt

  • Advised CLAI Fund on the San Gahuen III hydropower station project in Peru

  • Advised China-LAC Cooperation Fund on the Chagya hydropower station project in Peru

  • Advised China Huadian Hong Kong Company Limited on the Santa Maria hydropower station project in Peru

  • Advised China Overseas Infrastructure Development & Investment Corporation on a thermal power project in Ivory Coast

  • Advised Titan Wind Energy (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. on a wind power project in India

  • Advised CGGC International Ltd. on multiple hydropower projects in Nepal

  • Advised Sinosteel MECC on a 2x350 mw coal-fired power project in Cambodia

  • Advised CCCC Industry Investment Company Ltd. on a coal-fired power plant project in Pakistan

  • Advised China National Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd. on a coal-fired power plant project in Indonesia

  • Advised China Overseas Infrastructure Development & Investment Corporation on a hydropower station acquisition project in Nepal

  • Advised Concord New Energy Group Limited on a solar energy project in Thailand

  • Advised Sichuan Kunlun Electric Power Engineering Co., Ltd. on a power investment project in Laos

  • Advised TBEA Hengyang Transformer Co., Ltd. on a renewable energy investment and construction project in Iraq

  • Advised Wuxi Industry Development Group Co., Ltd. on a photovoltaic power generation project in Zambia

  • Advised Sinohydro Resources Limited on the Masjiri hydropower project in Tanzania

  • Advised a large engineering design enterprise on a photovoltaic power generation project in Myanmar

  • Advised a large listed private enterprise on a photovoltaic power generation project in India

  • Advised a subsidiary of a large state-owned enterprise on a wind power generation project in Namibia

  • Advised a leading clean energy domestic company on multiple waste-to-energy projects in Indonesia, Malay, Mauritius, Vietnam, and Ghana


Cross-border Financing Projects

  • Advised a banking syndicate consisting of ICBC and China-Africa Fund for Industrial Cooperation Co., Ltd. on the Comilu copper and cobalt project of Hong Kong Excellen Mining Investment Co., Limited in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Advised Hangzhou Branch of CITIC Bank on a financing project for Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co., Ltd.

  • Advised China Merchants Bank on Hong Kong Excellen Mining Investment Co., Limited's Liuliu copper and cobalt mine project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Advised China-Africa  Fund for Industrial Cooperation Co., Ltd. on JCHX Management's financing for Lonshi copper mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Advised China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation on a financing project in Angola

  • Advised Beijing Global Safety Technology Co., Ltd. on a financing project in Angola

  • Advised China Tianchen Engineering Corporation on a seller's credit financing project in Burkina Faso

  • Advised Sichuan Road & Bridge Mining Investment Development Co., Ltd. on financing for its Asmara copper and gold mining project in Eritrea

  • Advised on SinoHydro Resources Limited on financing for the Lukaiwei hydropower station in Chile

  • Advised CCCC Investment Company Ltd. on financing for its 300mw coal-fired power plant in Pakistan

  • Advised China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation on insurance for financing of a palm forest project in Indonesia

  • Advised China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation on insurance for financing of a ferronickel factory in Indonesia

  • Advised a central financial institution on its insurance offer for the establishment of a digital data and application center for a government department of the Democratic Republic of the Congo


Overseas Infrastructure and Real Estate Projects (Mining & Energy Projects Excluded)

  • Advised China Overseas Infrastructure Development & Investment Corporation on the Special Economic Zone Industrial Park Project in Haigou, Republic of the Congo

  • Advised China Merchants Group on a port project in Djibouti

  • Advised Yunnan Provincial Overseas Investment Co., Ltd. on a special economic zone project in Kyaukpyu, Myanmar

  • Advised Sichuan Haite Industrial Co., Ltd. on an industrial park project in Tangier, Morocco

  • Advised Fujian Zhongdian Investment Co., Ltd. on an industrial park project in Cambodia

  • Advised Sifang Yufeng Investment Co., Ltd. on a health and wellness apartment project in Pattaya, Thailand

  • Advised Guangzhou R&F Real Estate Co., Ltd. on a real estate project in Gurgaon, India

  • Advised China Railway Construction Engineering Group International Engineering Co., Ltd. on a real estate project in Papua New Guinea

  • Advised Beijing Urban Construction Investment & Development Co., Ltd. on a real estate development project in Mozambique

  • Advised a domestic construction group on a real estate project in Cambodia

  • Advised a state-owned construction enterprise on a real estate contracting project in Thailand

  • Advised China Railway Construction Corporation (International) Limited on an expressway PPP project in Bangladesh

  • Advised China Gezhouba Group Overseas Investment Co., Ltd. on its biding for a Bogota-Heraldo Highway PPP project in Colombia

  • Advised Tianjin Zhongsha Taida Industrial Park Management Co., Ltd. on its biding for the Modon Industrial Park Project in Saudi Arabia

  • Advised Sichuan Road and Bridge Construction (Group) Corp. Ltd. on its expressway PPP project in Bangladesh

  • Advised Sichuan Jinlu Group Co., Ltd. on the chemical plant and industrial park project in Ethiopia

  • Advised a subsidiary of a large sate-owned enterprise on its Industrial Park Project in cooperation with a provincial government in Ethiopia


Overseas Engineering & Construction Projects

  • Advised a private company on an EPC project for a waste-to-energy power plant project in Vietnam

  • Advised TBEA Shenyang Transformer Group Co., Ltd. on an EPC project for a power transmission and transformation project in Lesotho

  • Advised TBEA Shenyang Transformer Group Co., Ltd. on an EPC project for a power transmission and transformation station in Sri Lanka

  • Advised a subsidiary of China Energy Engineering Co., Ltd. on an EPC project for a photovoltaic power station in South Africa

  • Advised a subsidiary of China Energy Engineering Co., on an EPC project for a power station in Brazil

  • Advised an overseas branch of China Railway Construction Corporation on engineering and construction issues as perennial legal counsel

  • Advised TBEA Hengyang Transformer Co., Ltd. on EPC projects for a power generation station and a warehousing project in Ivory Coast

  • Advised TBEA Hengyang Transformer Co., Ltd. on an EPC project for a renewable power generation project in Iraq

  • Advised TEBA Shenyang Transformists Group Co., Ltd. on an EPC project for power transmission and transformer in Turkmenistan

  • Advised TBEA Sunoasis Co., Ltd. on an EPC project for a Photovoltaic power in Jordan

  • Advised TBEA Sunoasis Co., Ltd. on disputes regarding EPC project with a sub-contractor

  • Advised Sinosteel MECC on an EPC project for a 2x350 mw coal-fired power plant project in Cambodia

  • Advised China Communications Construction Group Limited on an EPC project for a coal-fired power plant in Pakistan

Honors and Awards

For Individual

Dealmaker of the Year – Asia, ALB China Law Awards 2022

Dealmaker of the Year – China, CLP, 2022

Band 1 – China (Energy and Natural Resources), Chambers Asia Pacific/Greater China Region, 2019-2023

Band 1 – China (Energy and Natural Resources), Chambers Global, 2019-2022

Recommended Lawyer – China (Energy and Natural Resources), Chambers Global, 2013-2022

Recommended Lawyer – China (Energy and Natural Resources), Chambers Asia Pacific/Greater China Region, 2013-2022

Highly Regarded – China (Energy and infrastructure, Corporate and M&A), IFLR1000

Leading Lawyer, IFLR1000, 2014-2018

Tier 1 in Energy & Natural Resources, LEGALBAND, 2016-2022

Tier 1 in Outbound Investment, LEGALBAND, 2019-2022

Distinguished Practitioner, asialaw Profiles, 2018-2023

Recommended Lawyer, The Legal 500, 2016, 2020-2022

Leading Lawyer – China (M&A), Who's Who Legal, 2020

Energy Lawyer of the Year, CLP, 2018

Top Ten Belt and Road Lawyers, Legal Daily, 2018

Chaoyang District Business Talent Grand Prize, Chaoyang Government of Beijing, 2012

For Deal

Privatization of Hong Kong listed Hexing Gold: Deal of the Year, China Business Law Journal, 2021

Sinomine's acquisition of Cabot Corporation: Deal of the Year, China Business Law Journal, 2019

CNMC's investment in a copper mining project in Africa: Deal of the Year, China Business Law Journal, 2017

Tianqi Lithium Corporation’s acquisition of Talison Lithium Limited: Best Innovative Service for M&A and Restructuring, China M&A ▪ Golden Indus Award, 2015

Memberships & Affiliations

Former Lecturer of Economic Law, Law School of Renmin University of China

Former Expert, Expert Committee of Tianjin No. 1 Intermediate People's Procuratorate

Former Adjunct Professor, University of Luxembourg

Publications

“Compendium of PPP Laws in Francophone African Countries”, Law Press, 2021

“Pioneering in Unknown Jurisdictions and Escorting Overseas Investment - The World Vision of Chinese Lawyers”, China Lawyer, December 2019

“Reducing the Difficulty of Acquisition Transactions with Statement Guarantee Insurance”, International Project Contracting & Labour Service, June 2017

“Reflections on Cooperation Model of Overseas Real Estate Development Projects”, International Project Contracting & Labour Service, May 2017

“Overseas Investment and Legal Risks”, China Forex, January 2016

“New Approaches of Legal Work for Overseas Investment under the Belt and Road Initiative”, International Project Contracting & Labour Service, December 2015

Related

  • Bar Admissions/Professional Qualifications

    PRC Bar
    French Republic Bar

  • Education

    PhD, Université de Paris I, 2003
    LL.M., Université de Paris I, 1999
    LL.M., Renmin University of China, 1997
    LL.B., China Youth University for Political Sciences, 1994

  • Professional Experience

    Partner, Zhong Lun Law Firm, 2007 to present
    Associate, Beijing Huanzhong Law Firm, 2005-2007
    Lecturer, Renmin University of China Law School, 2005-2007

  • Languages

    Chinese
    French
    English