Buying Chinese Brands: The Three Keys
There are three keys to buying a Chinese brand: CNIPA-recorded IP, a China-enforceable supply contract, and distribution channel control.
Contract Enforcement in China: What Works and What Doesn’t
Contract Enforcement in China: What Works and What Doesn’t Our clients will sometimes tell us that they view contract enforcement in China as impossible. They’re partly right. Enforcing contracts in China is complicated, unpredictable, and very different than in the West. But that doesn’t mean that contracts with Chinese companies are useless. It just means
China Employment Law 2025: 996 Is No Longer Okay
China Employment Law 2025: Working Hours Compliance Guide for Foreign Companies Could a Single Employee Complaint Derail Your China Operations? Imagine this: your Shanghai HR manager picks up the phone. A local employment bureau officer is on the line. Within days, inspectors arrive at your offices, your company name is in the Chinese press, and
When Business Disputes in China Turn Criminal
When Business Disputes in China Turn Criminal In the United States and Europe, it is uncommon for a dispute between two businesspeople to become a matter for criminal law enforcement. In China, things work differently. If you are doing business in China, you need to understand two things: The scope of economic crime there is
Employee Terminations in China: Why It’s Tougher Than Ever and How to Get It Right
Terminating Employees in China: Why It’s So Hard and How to Get It Right Over the past few years, our law firm has been flooded with requests from foreign companies looking to shut down or scale back their China operations. Almost every one of those closures has involved complex China employee terminations, and in nearly
Why Accurate Chinese Company Names on Your Contracts Must Be Non-Negotiable
Accurate Chinese Company Names on Your Contracts Are Critical A few years ago, a Canadian company came to my law firm seeking to sue their Chinese supplier. When we reviewed their bilingual manufacturing contract, we quickly discovered that the Chinese company name on their contract didn’t make sense. It was not an exact match to
A Q&A on Signing Contracts with Chinese Companies
The Essential Answers on Signing Contracts with Chinese Companies Yesterday, in The Essential Checklist for Signing Contracts with Chinese Companies, I wrote about what our China lawyers typically advise our clients regarding the signing of contracts with Chinese companies. Today, a client sent us what they call their Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for signing Chinese
China Software Licensing: Is Chinese Government Registration Required?
China Software Licensing Agreements Licensing software in China presents distinct challenges, especially when it comes to understanding whether your licensing agreement needs to be registered with the Chinese government. This can be unclear, with regulations varying by district. In this post, I will break down when registration is required (and when it isn’t) and offer
China’s Revised Company Law: Registration Requirements and Compliance Tips
China’s Revised Company Law China’s recent revisions to its Company Law introduce significant updates to company registration requirements, aimed at promoting transparency and accountability. For businesses operating in or entering the Chinese market, understanding these updates is essential for navigating compliance and mitigating operational risks. Required Information for Company Registration Under the revised law, companies
How to Change Your China Company Legal Representative
Changing Your China Company’s Legal Representative Is your company planning to change its legal representative in China? Whether you’re undergoing a corporate restructuring, preparing for a WFOE shutdown, or simply managing a leadership transition, changing a legal representative in a Chinese company is a significant and often complex decision. It requires careful planning and attention