The entry into effect of the Administrative Licensing Law on July 1 2004 promises to be a milestone in China's advance toward creation of a more transparent legal system and a more limited, efficient and less arbitrary government.
The March 2004 meeting of the National People's Congress ushered in landmark changes to the PRC Constitution. A look into the constitutional amendments and the new protections of private property.
The revised Law encourages increased foreign trade and cross-border services and cooperation by simplifying the approval requirements to trading rights, but impose new intellectual property licensing barriers.
The new Procedures represent China's WTO commitments to remove restrictions in wholesale and retail industry against wholly-owned foreign enterprises, introduce more permissible retail and wholesale activities, and simplifies approval process.
New regulations from the State Administration of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Commerce have opened the advertising market in China to greater foreign participation.
The creation of healthy capital markets in China has come under renewed attention with recent moves by the government to promote sound corporate practices by both issuing companies and sponsors.
Joint venture disputes are a fact of life in China. But they can be avoided with some careful planning to structure the joint venture contract to account for the common pitfalls in doing business in China.
The Supreme People's Court has given some opinions on liability for infringement in cyberspace, and the responsibility that internet service providers bear in transmitting infringing content.