Yu Zheng is a partner of the firm’s Shipping & International Trade practice group.

Yu Zheng is proficient in both English and Mandarin. In addition to being a qualified Chinese lawyer, Yu Zheng is well-grounded in Singapore law (and the common law generally) through his LLM and experience working in Rajah & Tann. Being familiar with both common law legal system and Chinese legal system, Yu Zheng is frequently engaged by Chinese parties in arbitration in Singapore, London, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, as well as by non-Chinese parties to manage litigations and arbitrations in China.

Yu Zheng has a wide range of contentious experience having acted as counsel in international arbitrations in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, London, and the People’s Republic of China. These arbitrations involve varied issues such as, shipping, international trade, hotel management, sale and purchase of shares, joint venture agreement, etc.

Further, Yu Zheng also frequently acts for clients in assets tracing and debt recovery.

EXPERIENCE

International Trade / Trade Finance

  • Acted for Kolmar Group to enforce a Singapore court judgment against Jiangsu Textile in the People’s Intermediate Court of Nanjing. This is the first case where a Singapore court judgment is enforced in China.
  • Acted for an European bank (Singapore branch) in the investigation and litigation relating to a fraud scandal relating to warehouse receipts allegedly issued by Qingdao port for alumina stored in the tax-bonded warehouse in Qingdao port. The value of the cargoes involved is around US$25 million. Tens of Chinese and foreign banks were involved in this scandal. The same cargoes were pledged or sold to various banks and/or traders. This European bank was the only one who successfully obtained the release of some cargoes of about US$12 million value within 6 months from the breakout of the scandal. In contrast, most of the other banks and traders have not obtained any of the pledged cargoes even after 3 years.
  • Acted for a subsidiary of a listed company in China in defending a claim in a SIAC arbitration. The dispute amount is estimated to be more than US$20 million. The dispute relates to a contract for long term sale and purchase of refrigerated propane.

Shipping and Maritime

  • Acted for ICBC Leasing Finance in a series of ship finance disputes following the scheme of arrangement of ESRA group, including various court proceedings in China, Singapore, America and United Arab Emirates. The claim total amount in dispute is around US$200 million.
  • Acted for Xixiakou Shipyard and a stated owned export and import company in China, as co-claimants, in two London arbitration cases relating to disputes arising from two shipbuilding contracts. The amounts in disputes in the two cases add up to about US$40 million. Also advised Xixiakou Shipyard in Xixiakou Shipyard v. Wartsila, Spliethoff’s and others (Supreme People’s Court). He successfully advised the plaintiff in resisting the stay application by Wartsila and obtained a global injunction against Bank of China from paying any money to Spliethoff’s under two refund guarantees. This is the first case decided by the Supreme People’s Court where the court admits the validity of foreign arbitration clauses, but still hold that the court shall nonetheless have jurisdiction over the disputes that are subject to the arbitration clauses. 
  • Acted for Minmetals in two London arbitrations again Glory Wealth and Transfield respectively regarding a chain of charters of the Iron Miner. The total claim amount in both cases is about US$ 130 million.
  • Acted for a Hong Kong listed bunker supplier in claiming against and tracing the assets of a major Chinese shipping company in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. Eventually, the bunker supplier successfully recovered more than US$12 million principal claim amount, plus interest and legal costs.
  • Acted for the cargo interest against the shipowners in the Oinoussian Strength (in Wuhan Maritime Court). The claim amount is US$16 million, which was at that time the largest cargo damage claim in China.

Hotel Management

  • Acted for an internationally renowned hotel management group in HKIAC arbitration against a Chinese hotel owner. The disputes arise from alleged repudiation of a 20-years brand license agreement, and the claim amount exceeds CNY 24 million.  
  • Acted for an international renowned hotel manager in a CIETAC arbitration in Shanghai against a major tourism group in China. The claim amount is approximately US$9 million.
  • Acted for an international renowned hotel manager in various disputes with different hotel owners. These hotels locate in China, the Republic of Laos and Indonesia.

Investment Dispute / Share Transfer Dispute

  • Acted for a Hong Kong listed real-property developer in two Singapore arbitration proceedings arising from a joint venture agreement. The disputes relate to shareholder’s preempt right. The claimants seek an order for forced sale of shares which are around CNY 1.5 billion in value. 
  • Acted for a Chinese shareholder of a Singapore listed company to defend a claim by the listed company in Singapore court. The claim amount is about SG$30 million. The background of this litigation is the fight between two groups of shareholders, both trying to take over the control of the listed company.
  • Acted for Orient Thai Airway against Mr. Mick Davis (aka Lan Shili) in a claim against the latter for breach of director’s fiduciary duty and successfully obtained a mareva injunction.
  • Acted for two Singaporeans (sellers) in an SIAC arbitration against a Singapore company (buyers). The disputes arise from an agreement for sale and purchase of a company registered in Shanghai (the “Target Company”). The Target Company’s main asset is a land-use title in Shanghai FTZ, the value of which is around CNY 130 million. The buyer sought a specific performance order against the sellers but eventually lost the case. 

MEMBERSHIPS / DIRECTORSHIPS

  • Panel of Arbitrators, Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration
  • Arbitrator on the List of Arbitrators, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre
  • Mediator of Shanghai International Economic and Trade 
  • Panel of Arbitrators, Asia International Arbitration Centre, Malaysia 
  • Panel of Arbitrators, China Maritime Arbitration Centre
  • Arbitrator of Langfang Arbitration Commission, China
  • Arbitrator of Qingdao Arbitration Commission, China

Location(s)

Practice Area(s)

Qualifications

  • LL.M, National University of Singapore
  • LL.B in Maritime Law, Dalian Maritime University, China
  • PRC Lawyer’s Qualification
  • Solicitor, England and Wales (Practising)

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