Simmons & Simmons has opened an office in southeast China city Shenzhen.

The new office is Simmons' third in the country, alongside its operations in Beijing and Shanghai.

The new office will focus on telecommunications, media and technology (TMT) – areas in which the firm already advises Shenzhen clients.

TMT partner Jingyuan Shi is moving from the firm's Beijing office to lead the outpost. She will be the office's sole partner but will work closely with the firm's international TMT teams led by London-based partner Alexander Brown.

"Shenzhen is rapidly growing as a force in the technology industry and plays a pivotal role as a global innovation powerhouse," Shi said in a statement.

Paul Li, who is the head of Asia for the firm, noted that China is currently the world's second-most important TMT market after the U.S. "This move enables us to build on our existing presence in the country," he said. "We are committed to continuing investment in this market, working under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA)."

Shenzhen officially became a city in 1979 and in 1980 was established as China's first special economic zone, which has made it more attractive to foreign and domestic firms. The city, sometimes called China's new Silicon Valley, is now home to some of the best-known Chinese technology companies, including Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., ZTE Corp. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. Shenzhen is officially one of the world's fastest-growing cities.

Other global law firms, especially those with a strong intellectual practice (IP), have opened offices in Shenzhen. Chicago-based IP shop Brinks Gilson & Lione was the first, opening its Shenzhen office at the very end of 2017. Fish & Richardson and the hybrid virtual law firm Rimon Law each launched an office there earlier this year.

Earlier this month, Simmons also expanded its presence in France with the hire of two lawyers for its Paris office.

Lisa Shuchman contributed to this story.