China's State Council plans to improve competition by establishing a fair play review system; food safety violations will incur much stiffer penalties, and the People's Bank of China's governor says domestic and foreign financial firms will soon play by the same rule book.

The Law protects technology transfers and trade secrets

VAT rates are lowered, commercial banks are required to disclose NSFR information and advisory services are encouraged for the entirety of construction projects.

Improved product safety is central to China's pivot to a consumption-led economy. New regulations, stiffer penalties, encouraging consumer complaints and even public shaming are all part of its strategy.

Clifford Chance, Skadden and King & Wood Mallesons are among the top winners of the sixth annual event honouring the leading firms and lawyers in Asia.

The deadline for submission is June 13, 2019.

Huawei Technologies pleads not guilty to defrauding banks in a New York court; China's State Council signs off on amendments to 49 laws; and the State Administration for Market Regulation targets inferior products with new regulations.

The official Foreign Investment Law addresses trade secret protection, mandatory infringement liability of the licensor is removed in technology transfer and procedures for the centralized management of cross-border funds by MNCs are streamlined.

China's IP protection regime has been steadily improving, driven more by the needs to serve domestic innovation, than foreign concerns.