Linklaters has continued to build up its China capabilities with the hire of two partners for its Shanghai base.

The new hires are corporate partner Simon Meng, who joins from King & Wood Mallesons (KWM), and project development and finance partner Andrew Ruff from Shearman & Sterling.

Meng, who focuses on M&A, project development and finance work, joined KWM in 2012 from Herbert Smith.

The news comes ahead of the firm's launch of a spin-off practice in the Shanghai free trade zone, staffed by a team of around 20 lawyers, including three partners. The new firm, which will have a 'best friends' relationship with Linklaters, will be able to offer Chinese law advice, which international law firms are restricted from providing under Chinese regulations.

Linklaters China managing partner Fang Jian said: "The appointments of Simon and Andrew are a strong addition to our China team and illustrate our long-term commitment to grow Linklaters' presence in China and Asia. Both Simon and Andrew are leading experts in their respective areas in the market and they fit perfectly our strategy to offer clients senior partner support with a strong track record in the Chinese legal sector. They will also help the firm make the most of the opportunities surrounding increasing China outbound investment and the rapidly growing Chinese legal market."

Ruff's arrival takes the China projects team to four partners, while according to the firm, Meng is the fourth partner recruited into the China corporate team in the past 18 months.

However, the firm has also seen a number of recent exits in Asia, including Shanghai partner Simon Poh, who joined K&L Gates in December 2016; corporate partner Christopher Kelly, who left in February 2016 to join White & Case in Hong Kong; and finance partner David Irvine, who left to join Kirkland & Ellis in Hong Kong in September 2015.

More recently, capital markets partner Chik Pui Hong left the firm's Beijing office this year to join Ashurst in Hong Kong.