Stibbe, a Benelux law firm, is launching a new office in Hong Kong, according to a press release. The firm’s new Asian base will focus on supporting clients in corporate, finance and tax law, as well as primarily helping Chinese clients with their European investments.The firm also aids European clients with various operations and business ventures in Asia.

“Chinese investments in Europe are often structured through Hong Kong, and subsequently through the Benelux,” Stibbe Brussels managing partner Jan Peeters told Law.com. “Stibbe can manage those transactions like no other because of its full-service capacity in this European central region. “With the new Hong Kong office, we can establish a local presence and operate in the same timezone as our clients, which is of great importance to us.”

The firm currently has head offices in the Benelux capitals of Amsterdam, Brussels and Luxembourg, as well as branches in London, New  York and Dubai. Former Stibbe Brussels senior associate Jan Bogaert will head up the new office, along with Alexander De Neree, the founder and chairman of Hong-Kong based firm De Neree Advocates. De Neree is expected to change its name to Stibbe Hong Kong by September.

Stibbe is well-positioned to capitalize on the continuing growth of investment opportunities in Europe. According to China Daily, Chinese investment in the European Union increased by 94 percent year-on-year to $4.28 billion in 2011. The same study also suggested that by the end of 2020, China’s investment in the region will have ballooned to between $250 and $500 billion. These potential investors will need help with the nuances and translations between European and Chinese law and business.