Navigating China’s Shifting Labor Cost Landscape: An October 2025 Minimum Wage Update

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…

China Reforms Reinvestment Tax Credit Policy to Boost Foreign Investor Confidence

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…

China Eases Foreign Exchange Rules to Boost Cross-Border Investment andProperty Markets

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…

Social Insurance Compliance in China: A Non-Negotiable Obligation forEmployers

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…

China Clarifies Non-Compete Rules with New Compliance Guidelines

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…

China Expands Unreliable Entity List, Heightening Compliance Risks forForeign Firms

Introduction: A Sharpened Tool in China’sRegulatory Arsenal On October 9, 2025, the Chinese government announced the addition of 14 newentities to its Unreliable Entity List (UEL), a move that significantly heightenscompliance risks for foreign companies with ties to China. This expansion of theUEL, which took effect immediately, serves as a stark reminder of Beijing’sreadiness to…

China Imposes Special Port Fees on US-Linked Vessels in Retaliatory Move

Introduction: A New Front in the US-China Trade Dispute On October 14, 2025, China’s Ministry of Transport implemented a new “SpecialPort Service Fee” targeting vessels with links to the United States, opening a newfront in the ongoing trade dispute between the two economic superpowers. Themove, a direct retaliation against the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR)…

China Restructures Internet Court Jurisdiction, Shifting Focus to Cutig Edge Digital Disputes

Introduction: A Strategic Refinement of DigitalJustice On October 10, 2025, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) announced a significantrestructuring of the jurisdiction of its specialized Internet Courts, a move thatsignals a strategic refinement of the country’s digital justice system. The newprovisions, which are set to take effect on November 1, 2025, reallocate certaintypes of cases to…

China Expands Rare Earth Export Controls with Extraterritorial 50% Rule, Reshaping Global Supply Chains

Introduction: A New Chapter in Strategic Resource Governance On October 9, 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced asignificant expansion of its export control regime for rare earth elements,introducing an extraterritorial “50% Rule” that is set to reshape global technologyand defense supply chains. These new measures, which took partial effectimmediately, represent a new chapter in…

China Intensifies Cross-Border DataTransfer Enforcement with New Certification Rules and Landmark Cases

On October 17, 2025, Chinese regulators unveiled new rules governing thecertification of cross-border personal information transfers, signaling a significanttightening of the nation’s data export regime. This development, coupled with therecent publication of two landmark enforcement cases in September, underscores anew era of stringent data governance in China. For international law firms and theirclients, these changes…