A Ministry of Commerce circular indicates that the power to approve foreign invested real estate projects has been delegated to the provincial level. The new approach is intended to raise the efficiency of the application process.

On 25 November 2009, the State Council of the PRC promulgated the Measures on Administration of Establishment of Partner¬ships by Foreign Enterprises or Individuals in China ("Partnership Measures"), which became effective on 1 March 2010. A foreign-invested partnership ("FIP") as described in the Administration Measures refers to a partnership set up by at least two foreign enterprises or individuals, or one set up by foreign enterprises or individuals together with Chinese individuals, legal p

The Interpretation of the Agreement between the Government of the PRC and the Government of the Republic of Singapore for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and the Protocol of the Agreement was promulgated by the State Administration of Taxation on 1 September 2010 ("Circular 75"). Although merely an interpretation of the PRC-Singapore tax treaty, it applies to all similar double tax treaty provisions and supersedes all previou

On 19 October 2010, the State Council announced a new national campaign to crack down on counterfeit products and IPR infringements. This new campaign started at the end of October and will continue for six months.

The social insurance law will take effect on 1 July 2011 governing 5 categories of social insurance.

The Interpretation (III) of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues on the Application of Law in the Trial of Labour Dispute Cases ("Interpretation III"), which was adopted by the Judicial Committee of the Supreme People’s Court on 12 July 2010, came into effect on 14 September 2010.

On 10 December 2009, the State Administration of Taxation issued a circular on strengthening enterprise income tax ("EIT") administration on gains from equity transfers by foreign non-resi¬dent enterprises ("Circular 698").

Thousands of overseas manufacturers display their products for potential buyers at exhibitions held in Hong Kong, and IP concerns are never far from these events. Sometimes the goods are themselves counterfeit; in other cases the displays spur the efforts of nimble copycats.

The Mainland China and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement signed on 29 June 2003, offers Hong Kong entities (individuals and companies) preferential treatment for doing business in the PRC.

The Patent Law was first promulgated in 1984 and was amended twice thereafter. The third round of amendments to the patent law was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on 25 August 2008.

The State Administration of Industry and Commerce and Ministry of Commerce jointly issued the Regulations on Foreign-invested Advertising Enterprises which came into effect on 1 October 2008 and replace regulations issued in 2004.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce recently promulgated the Notice on Relevant Issues concerning the Examination, Approval and Administration of Projects of Foreign Investment in Internet and Vending Machine Sales ("Notice").