Features & Analyses

Hong Kong signed the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement with the mainland in June. What kind of "arrangement" does CEPA call for? And what will change with the new opportunities?

New SPC rules on disputes over futures trading focus on the primacy of contractual issues, and form a counterpoint to legislation that traditionally has focused on regulating the futures industry at the macro-level.

Understanding tax assessment is among the most important issues for foreign-invested companies working in China. The state tax bureau has recently revamped the rules for the tax liability of foreign companies' representative offices in China.

The authorities are playing a game of catch-up with China's booming real estate sector, and have issued regulations recently that attempt to rein in speculative lending for real estate projects.

The authorities are playing a game of catch-up with China's booming real estate sector, and have issued regulations recently that attempt to rein in speculative lending for real estate projects.

The government hopes that changes to China's mining laws and regulations will encourage greater foreign exploration and exploitation of mineral projects. Are foreign mining companies ready to enter China? And what is holding them back?

Another piece of China's trademarks legislation puzzle has been put in place with the issuance of new rules on well-known trademarks. The rules introduce some important changes to recognition of well-known marks, and might make it easier for foreign trademarks to win such recognition in China.

Customs compliance and tax planning for cross-border transactions are becoming more important and complex. Payments between different links in a cross-border supply chain must be structured carefully to avoid high customs value and possible double taxation.

Courts in China have been taking the lead in interpreting China's intellectual property laws so as to meet international standards. Shanghai Municipality has recently made its own contribution with an Opinion on strengthening IP rights in foreign businesses.