President Xi and Putin

President Xi Will Hold Onto Power, BUT . . .

At least once a day, someone — usually a client — asks me if President Xi will hold onto power. And every day, I give  a much shorter version of the following half-serious, half-facetious answer: He will hold onto power, but for how long I don’t know. It’s like the stock market. I can right

China and Web3

China’s Blockchain Developments and Opportunities

Blockchain technologies are inherently international, and China has had its share of news lately. I have spoken on China and web3 from both business and national security perspectives. These new technologies present challenges and opportunities both inside and outside China. This post focuses on the for-profit blockchain developments and opportunities in China.

China is increasing business regulation

China’s AML Increases Regulatory Oversight

For international businesses, the takeaways should be clear. First, the trend of increasing oversight  of business activities by the Chinese authorities continues. As readers of this blog will have noted, this is a recurring theme in much recent Chinese legislation, even that coming out of the special administrative regions, such as Macau's new gaming law. Second, engaging in monopolistic practices  in China is now a riskier endeavor, with increased penalties for companies and personal liabilities for responsible officers. When dealing with competitors and trading partners, businesses must beware the AML and give it a wide berth to any activity that could be construed as a monopolistic practice.

Doing business in China

Who is Still Doing Business in China?

For the past several months we have been engaged in many transactions relating to China with companies still doing business in China. These companies recognize both the business opportunities and the business risks. (Those who do not fully understand the risks are still doing their business deals without the help of a lawyer on the front end, which means we usually hear from them when something has gone wrong.)

New Macau Gambling Laws

Macau’s New Gaming Law

Macau has a new gaming law as of June 21, 2022. On that day, Macau’s Legislative Assembly approved Law No. 7/2022, which amends a 2001 law. While the legal framework for gambling remains fundamentally unchanged, the amended law offers a hint of what is to come, not just for Macau’s casinos, but for Macau itself.

China company chop/seal

The Chinese Company Chop Goes Digital

A China company chop is an official seal or stamp that legally binds the company to what it has agreed to in the document on which its company chop has been stamped. Under Chinese law, a company chop is strong legal evidence of the agreement of the company whose chop is on the document. The company chop (a.k.a company seal or company stamp) essentially replaces a signature on contracts and other important documents. The company chop binds the entire company, usually no matter who (if anyone) actually puts their signature on the document.

forced labor sanctions

Forced Labor: It’s Getting Real

For importers of Chinese products, this coming June 21 will be a critical date. On that day, a rebuttable presumption that all products made in Xinjiang violate the U.S. forced labor statute will come into effect. The rebuttable presumption is mandated by the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA), which was signed into law by