China’s leading economic planning body recently announced it had begun the initial research phase for the 13th Five-Year Plan (FYP)—the key social and economic policy blueprint for the 2016-20 period. The plan will build on the current 12th FYP and will serve as a framework to advance key national reforms introduced under Xi Jinping’s administration and adjust China’s economic growth model to maintain stable growth in light of a slowing economy.
The National Development and Reform...
As China strengthens its enforcement of anti-unfair competition and antimonopoly regulations, and local media reports on investigations involving both foreign and Chinese companies, more and more executives are raising questions about what to expect—and how to respond to—investigations by local enforcement agencies like Administrations of Industry and Commerce (AICs). Given the challenges that these types of investigations present, the US-China Business Council (USCBC) has compiled a set of...
Antimonopoly issues, including M&A reviews and pricing investigations, have garnered considerable attention by US stakeholders in recent months, due to widespread reporting on pricing investigations involving foreign companies and a November 2013 National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announcement of targeted sectors. While some high-profile investigations of foreign companies are ongoing, USCBC’s tracking of developments in antitrust and price investigation trends over the...
In 2014, China’s agencies in charge of managing intellectual property rights (IPR) issues are focusing their attention on a range of areas, including fighting counterfeiting in industries such as agriculture, oil and gas, auto parts, household appliances, and health products; tackling key modes of IPR infringement like online counterfeiting, network piracy, and trade secret theft; improving criminal and civil protection of IPR; and building a credibility system for enterprises to better...
New regulations limiting the proportion of dispatch—or temporary—workers in China went into effect on March 1, constraining hiring choices and requiring labor force restructuring for many companies. A follow-up to the 2013 Labor Contract Law Amendment, the Provisional Regulations on Labor Dispatch and its associated implementing regulations limit the proportion of dispatch workers to 10 percent of a company’s overall workforce in China. Although employers can apply for a two-year grace...
Chinese regulators have recently released two measures meant to make merger and acquisition (M&A) review processes faster and more transparent. The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced measures to simplify M&A reporting processes in February that may speed up international transaction reviews. Another recently released rule—set to take effect May 1—aims at putting pressure on companies that do not properly report M&A transactions. These two initiatives could be welcome...
The State Council recently released the official 2014 priorities for a key interagency group on intellectual property rights (IPR), the State Council Leading Group on Combating IPR Infringement and Sales of Counterfeit Goods. Many of the key priorities for 2014 extend or build on goals laid out in previous plans, with a special emphasis on counterfeit production and sales.
The plan focuses on efforts to tackle infringement of IP, cutting across patents, trademarks, copyrights, and...
China’s insurance industry regulator will ease restrictions on the number of companies insurers can invest in and expand financing channels for mergers and acquisitions—moves that may allow foreign insurance companies operating in China to expand their business footprint in the market.
Changes made by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) are part of the central government’s efforts to let the market play a greater role in China’s economy by encouraging industry...
In 2014, China’s agencies in charge of human resources (HR) are focused on implementing reform to social insurance and income distribution systems, talent development programs, labor rights, and rising labor costs, the last of which is the number one challenge to doing business in China, according to the US-China Business Council (USCBC) 2013 China Business Environment Survey. According to various agencies’ 2014 work plans (links to which are provided in the attached PDF), policy initiatives...
Starting April 1, seven Chinese cities and provinces raised their monthly minimum wages by an average of 12.5 percent, according to China News. These cities and provinces include Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Shaanxi, Shenzhen, and Shandong. Shanghai tops the list with a new monthly minimum wage of RMB 1,820 ($292), followed by Shenzhen at RMB 1808 ($290).
These changes are the latest in a series of multi-year annual minimum wage increases. According to China’s Ministry of...
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