Tariff sanctions imposed by both the United States and China, and other points of contention in the bilateral relationship, have made it more complicated for companies to plan and execute their investment strategies for the China market. Further market disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic have also slowed crossborder transactions as governments tighten their regulatory requirements. These uncertainties also pose unprecedented challenges for Chinese regulators and enforcement agencies...
China Market Intelligence
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July 8th, 2020
July 8th, 2020
As a result of annual revisions to China’s national Foreign Investment Negative List released by China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and Ministry of Commerce last month, new sectors will be open to foreign investment beginning on July 23. These revisions were largely expected and did not make any groundbreaking announcements. This latest version combines some formerly separate sectors, which also contributes to the list appearing shorter in comparison to previous years...
July 6th, 2020
The National People’s Congress Standing Committee released the second draft of China’s Export Control Law on July 3 for public consultation, following a first draft for which USCBC submitted comments in January. The draft law updates the 2017 version released by the Ministry of Commerce and aims to establish a unified regulatory system for export controls.
July 6th, 2020
On July 3, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) released the second draft amendment to the Patent Law (unofficial translation here), open for public comment until August 16. The Patent Law was last amended in 2008 and the current draft amendments were preceded by an earlier draft in 2018, which USCBC also submitted comments on.
July 6th, 2020
On July 3, China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) released a draft Data Security Law for public comment until August 16. The draft represents China’s most recent efforts to continue establishing its legal framework for cybersecurity, along with the 2016 Cybersecurity Law and the planned Personal Information Law.
July 6th, 2020
In recent conversations with senior Chinese government officials, the US-China Business Council explained the significant challenges American company executives were experiencing obtaining visas to return to China. In response to those concerns, the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, informed USCBC of two new processes for American business executives to obtain visas to return to China. We understand that these processes are currently applicable only to American executives applying in the...
July 1st, 2020
On June 30, China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee unanimously passed the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region National Security Protection Law, which was signed into law by President Xi Jinping and inserted into Hong Kong’s Basic Law. It is effective immediately. In anticipation of the law’s passage, the United States has begun the process of revoking Hong Kong’s status under US law that grants it special privileges from mainland China.
June 24th, 2020
According to statements at China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), companies operating in China can expect the government to focus on bringing wages more in line with GDP growth in an effort to raise standards of living across China. The Government Work Report for this year’s NPC calls for proportionate increases in wages relative to GDP, but does not provide specific details.
June 24th, 2020
As China seeks to recover from the economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has begun rolling out a “new infrastructure” initiative to fuel and transform the economy by employing modern technologies like AI, 5G, and blockchain. While the catchphrase has gained traction, few local governments have announced tangible measures supporting the initiative. While related policies are only in their nascent stages, high-level remarks suggest “new infrastructure” projects could pose...
June 24th, 2020
The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) named Tang Yijun (唐一军), former governor of Liaoning Province, as the new minister to replace Fu Zhenghua (傅政华) after Fu reached the mandatory retirement age for minister-level officials of 65. Tang spent most of his political career serving as the head of the Commission for Discipline Inspection in Zhejiang Province when President Xi Jinping was the provincial party secretary.
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Phase One Tracker
We are tracking over 150 commitments—several of which had never been offered before—on items ranging from market access to improving intellectual property rights protection and administrative reforms.
