Morrison & Foerster, Fenwick & West and Shearman & Sterling are starring in China’s state-owned Tsinghua Holdings Co’s $1.78 billion acquisition of Chinese cellphone chip designer Spreadtrum Communications Inc.

Tsinghua Unigroup, a unit of Tsinghua Holdings, offered to pay $31 per American Depositary Share for Spreadtrum – 9 percent above its previous bid in June, Reuters reported.

Morrison & Foerster is advising Tsinghua Holdings, while Fenwick & West is representing Spreadtrum. Shearman & Sterling, led by Hong Kong partner Paul Strecker, is advising Morgan Stanley Asia, the financial adviser to Spreadtrum’s board of directors.

Headquartered in Shanghai, Spreadtrum develops chips for smartphones, feature phones and other consumer electronics products. Its chips support 2G, 3G and 4G wireless communications standards.

Tsinghua Holdings is a Chinese government-owned corporation funded by Tsinghua University, and controls companies such as Chengzhi Shareholding Co and technology firm Unisplendour Co.

Tsinghua will offer Spreadtrum expertise in consumer products, protection and support of a vast IP portfolio, as well as access to capital markets in China, Tsinghua Unigroup Chief Executive Zhao Weiguo said in a statement.

Kanishk Verghese is North Asia journalist at ALB. Follow us on Twitter: @ALB_Magazine.