Introduction: A New Era of Vigorous Enforcement China’s anti-monopoly enforcement has entered a new era of vigor andsophistication in 2025, with a sharpened focus on the digital economy and publicutilities. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), China’s topantitrust watchdog, has launched a series of high-profile investigations andimposed significant penalties on companies for monopolistic practices,…
Introduction: A Complex and Ever-ChangingRegulatory Framework China’s cybersecurity and data privacy landscape is one of the most complex andrapidly evolving in the world. In 2025, the government has continued to refine andexpand its regulatory framework, issuing a series of new standards, guidelines, andenforcement actions that have significant implications for all businesses operatingin the country. For…
Introduction: A New Chapter in IP Enforcement In a clear demonstration of its commitment to fostering innovation and protectingthe rights of creators, China has taken significant steps in 2025 to strengthen itsintellectual property (IP) protection regime. The establishment of new specializedIP tribunals in several major cities and the introduction of harsher penalties for infringement mark…
Introduction: A Continuously Refined Framework for Foreign Investment As of mid-2025, China’s foreign investment landscape continues to evolve, with thegovernment making a series of adjustments to its regulatory framework to attracthigh-quality foreign investment and to address emerging challenges. Thesechanges, which include updates to the national “Negative List” for foreigninvestment and the introduction of new sector-specific…
Introduction: A Greener Future for China, A Higher Bar for Business In a landmark announcement in October 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinpingpledged to significantly accelerate the country’s efforts to combat climate change,including a commitment to cut economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions. Thishigh-level political commitment has been swiftly followed by a series of new environmental regulations and…
Introduction: A Complex and Evolving Picture As of October 2025, the landscape of minimum wages across China presents acomplex and evolving picture for employers. With many provinces andmunicipalities having updated their minimum wage standards throughout the year,foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) must stay vigilant to ensure compliance andeffectively manage their labor costs. The latest updates, including the…
Introduction: A Shift in Strategy to Encourage Long- Term Investment In a significant policy shift aimed at boosting foreign investor confidence andencouraging the reinvestment of profits, China has reformed its reinvestment taxcredit policy, with the new rules taking full effect in October 2025. The reformmoves away from a simple tax deferral mechanism to a more…
Introduction: A Strategic Move to Attract Foreign Capital In a significant move to attract foreign capital and bolster its economy, China hasintroduced a series of measures in 2025 to ease its foreign exchange (FX) rules,particularly for cross-border investment and property purchases by foreigners.These reforms, which have been rolled out gradually throughout the year, aim tosimplify…
Introduction: A Renewed Emphasis on EmployerAccountability Recent developments in China’s labor law landscape, including the publication oftypical labor dispute cases by the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) on August 1, 2025,have sent a clear message to employers: social insurance compliance is a non-negotiable obligation. These cases, combined with a noticeable increase inenforcement activities in September, underscore…
Introduction: Bringing Clarity to a Contentious Area of Labor Law On September 4, 2025, China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security(MOHRSS) issued new compliance guidelines for the use of non-competeagreements, bringing much-needed clarity to a contentious area of labor law. Theseguidelines, which are effective immediately, aim to balance the protection ofemployers’ trade secrets and…