China Law Update : China Business Law Lawyers & Attorneys : Sheppard Mullin Law Firm : Direct Investment, Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, Antitrust, Venture Capital

On November 9, 2011 the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") approved additional listing requirements proposed by the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), NYSE Amex ("Amex") and the NASDAQ Stock Market ("NASDAQ") for companies going public through reverse mergers. The additional requirements are a response to the highly publicized cases of reverse merger abuses in recent months, in many cases involving the alleged accounting fraud of U.S.-listed Chinese companies.

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Responsive to issues faced with difficulty in obtaining financing by businesses (particularly small- to medium-size enterprises) due to the global financial crisis, State Administration of Industry and Commence officially released Administrative Measures for Corporate Debt-for-Equity Swap Registration (the “Measures”) recently, which formalizes regulation of debt-for-equity swap on the national level. The Measures will be put into implementation on January 1, 2012.

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The Chinese State Council has officially implemented a Security Review System for Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (the “Review System”) based on a set of interim rules (the “Rules”) issued earlier this year.

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On the verge of becoming an international institution, the recent Hong Kong International Art Fair, known as "ART HK," represents an exciting development in the state of the art world in China. This growth has critical, yet profoundly inspiring, implications upon the international art community.  Since its humble beginnings in 2008, ART HK has shown rapid growth with over 260 galleries from over 38 countries participating in the recent fair.  Momentum of ART HK's success and prominence was recently propelled by an announcement that MCH Swiss Exhibition, owners of Art Basel, the world's biggest contemporary art fair, have just signed an agreement with Asian Art Fairs, the owners of ART HK, to purchase a majority stake in ART HK, which went into effect on July 1, 2011.  This tactical move, combined with rising auction revenue, favorable tax considerations, a newfound interest in art as an asset class, and interest based on national identity, cements China’s role in the global art market.
 

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The State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the People’s Republic of China (“SAFE”) is the principal gatekeeper for incoming and outgoing investment made in foreign currency. SAFE wields tremendous influence over capital inflows and outflows and, as such, the rules it promulgates can significantly affect inbound investments. Recently, SAFE issued Circular 19, the ‘Operating Rules for the Administration of Foreign Exchange in Financing and Round-trip Investment by Residents in China via Special-Purpose Companies’, an important addition to an existing body of rules and regulations of special importance to foreign investors.

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On March 28, 2011, China’s State Administration of Taxation (“SAT”) issued Announcement No. 24 regarding Several Problems of Regulation on Income Tax of Non-resident Enterprises (the “Announcement”), effective beginning April 1, 2011. The Announcement applies to all outstanding tax liabilities incurred but not paid before April 1, 2011.

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On December 31, 2010, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (“MIIT”), National Development and Reform Commission (“NDRC”) and Ministry of Environmental Protection issued a joint circular setting a limit on the number of new projects the government will approve in the polysilicon industry.

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On December 29, 2010, the National Development and Reform Commission promulgated Regulations against Price Fixing (the “Regulations”) which will take effect on February 1, 2011.

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According to the Supreme People’s Court, when foreign investors purchase non-performing assets from Chinese firms and collect payments from the original borrower/guarantor it somehow changes the nature of the original guarantee. Consequently, on October 27, 2010, the Supreme People’s Court issued Notice on Trial of Cases Involving Issues of Validity of Guarantee Contracts Related to Use of Foreign Investment by Chinese Companies in Dealing with Nonperforming Assets (the “Notice”) in an effort to provide some guidance on such matters.

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