China’s Tianjin Bar Association (TBA) will visit the UK next week in a bid to strengthen ties with UK lawyers.

The TBA delegation will visit London and Bristol on Monday and Tuesday next week, in a move that the Law Society said will provide business opportunities in China for UK lawyers, and could also pave the way for UK lawyers to break into other markets.

As part of the visit, south-west firm Burges Salmon will host a roundtable discussion. Lawyers from south-west firms Osborne Clarke; Beachcroft; Ashfords; Veale Wasbrough; Vizards; Rickerbys; Clarke Willmott; Leung & Co; Gregg Latchams; Henriques Griffiths and Thring Townsend Lee & Pembertons are all signed up to meet the TBA.

Alison Hook, head of the Law Society’s international division, said: ‘The inward visit is one part of an on-going programme to strengthen the Society’s and its members’ links with China, which is ever more important as China’s role grows in the global economy.

‘Lawyers from China can benefit from closer working with UK lawyers, as opportunities to develop into other markets exist here. The other side of the coin is that the UK lawyers can benefit from China’s international reach.

‘China’s legal services market is open and provides opportunities for lawyers to work in a range of sectors. However, China is investing in Africa, Latin America and is strategically placed to develop links with Central Asian emerging economies.’

The Society’s Think China programme aims to enhance closer working between UK lawyers and their counterparts in China. Last year, a delegation of Chinese lawyers visited Sheffield. The Law Society is planning to send a delegation to the Shanghai Expo in 2010.