Before and after its accession to the WTO the PRC has made tremendous efforts in opening its market for foreign investors in order to be WTO compliant.

On 12 August 2009, a WTO Panel issued a decision on "Measures Affecting Trading Rights and Distribution Services for Certain Publications and Audiovisual Entertainment Products", a WTO complaint filed by the United States against China, in which the US claims that China unfairly restricts the import of films, music, books and other works that are copyright-protected.

With the effectiveness of the Measures for the Administration of the Establishment of Partnerships in China by Foreign Enterprises or Individuals ("FIP Measures") and the Administration Provisions on Registration of Foreign-Invested Partnership Enterprises ("Registration Provisions") on 1 March 2010, a new form of foreign investment, the foreign-invested partnership ("FIP") has become a reality in China. The Registration Provisions, as the first promulgated implementing rules of the FIP Measures

With effect from 22 December 2007 onwards, new rules on sending commercial electronic messages under the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Ordinance will start to apply in Hong Kong.

Foreign investors in China are increasingly using shares in existing domestic companies to acquire an interest in other domestic companies. But they should be aware of certain restrictions be¬fore contemplating such a move. PRC law allows a shareholder of a limited liability company or a company limited by shares ("Invested Company") to make capital contribution in the form of equity held in another domestic company ("Equity Company"), provided that the sum of the equity and other non-monetary p

The veto on March 18 of Coca-Cola's bid for China Huiyuan Juice Group by the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China has incited much discussion about the implementation of the PRC Anti-Monopoly Law, particularly the requirement of prior notification of concentrations of undertakings under Article 21.

On 18 September 2008, the State Council promulgated implementing regulations for the PRC Labour Contract Law, which has been in effect since 1 January 2008. These regulations address the following key aspects...

The State Committee for Regulating the Financial Services Markets of Ukraine ("SCRFSM") prepared a draft law on amending the Law of Ukraine "On Execution Proceedings".

The newly promulgated Measures for Building Registration, effective as of 1 July 2008, complement the relevant provisions of the Property Rights Law and the recent Measures for Land Registration.

On 15 January 2008, the State Council has issued Decree 516 abolishing the Liquidation Regulations and stating as the reason for issuance of Decree 516 the promulgation of the PRC Company Law on 27 October 2005, which became effective on 1 January 2006.

The concept of a "circular economy" took shape in the 1960s in the United States, and the term "circular economy" appeared in China in the mid-1990s.

In China, different administrative authorities are in charge of the administration of trademarks, enterprise names, copyrights, patent rights etc.

Taxation of enterprise reorganisation is a current focus of PRC tax authorities. The Circular on Several Issues Concerning the Enterprise Income Tax Treatment of Enterprise Reorganisations ("Circular 59"), issued on 30 April 2009 and retroactive from 1 January 2008, outlines the tax treatment of equity transfers in connection with an enterprise reorganisation. It distinguishes between a deal where capital gains are subject to a withholding tax at the time of the transaction, and one where the ta

Effective 1 January 2009, the levying principle of business tax on services in the People's Republic of China has been changed from where the service is performed to where the service provider or the service recipient is located.

Tax authorities in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) are strengthening their oversight of non-resident enterprises.

On 4 January 2010, the State Administration of Industry and Commerce ("SAIC") and the Ministry of Public Security jointly promulgated a notice that places additional restrictions and re¬quirements on new and existing foreign representative offices ("RO"). The local AIC in Beijing implemented the notice on 15 January 2010; other cities and provinces swiftly followed or are expected to do so soon. The more stringent criteria on RO registration are summarised below.

It is generally known that Hong Kong legal provisions concerning employee dismissal make it easier for Hong Kong employers to reduce the size of their workforce than their counterparts in Mainland China.