Pinsent Masons has set up a tax team in mainland China and hired Dr Bernd Uwe-Stucken to head up the office in Shanghai.

Uwe-Stucken has extensive experience advising on tax elements of foreign direct investment (FDI), into China, mergers and acquisitions and enterprise restructuring.

He will be joined by legal director Wei Yun, who along with the two others in the team, comes from a Big Four tax background.

The firm is expanding its Chinese operation and has recruited 13 lawyers and 12 support staff to support the firm's existing operations in Asia Pacific.

Jason Collins, head of tax at Pinsent Masons says: 'We are delighted to welcome Bernd to our tax team at a time when the demand for high quality, international advice on complex tax issues has arguably never been higher.

'Asia Pacific is a significant market for a number of our clients and we are now able to offer an extensive international tax service which few can match.'

Dr. Bernd Uwe-Stucken says: "The tax team at Pinsent Masons is well-established as the go-to name in the UK market, containing some of the biggest names around in terms of lawyers, tax advisers and former HMRC inspectors. Our aim is to replicate that success and reputation throughout Asia Pacific.'

Pinsent Masons merged with the Scottish law firm and tax specialists, McGrigors, in May this year, expanding its tax offering in the process.