On 28 September 2025 the Chinese legislator issued a novel Notice Regarding Implementing the Standards for Domestic Products and Relevant Policies in Government Procurement 国务院办公厅关于在政府采购中实施本国产品标准及相关政策的通知 guówùyuàn bàngōng tīng guānyú zài zhèngfǔ cǎigòu zhōng shíshī běnguó chǎnpǐn biāozhǔn jí xiāngguān zhèngcè de tōngzhī. The Notice is effective since 1 May 2026. It is relevant for foreign …
The Chinese legislator recently established a nationwide framework for commercial dispute mediation in China. The regulations promulgated on 31 December 2025 by the State Council cover disputes in areas including trade, investment, finance, transportation, real estate, engineering construction, and intellectual property, while excluding matters such as marriage and family, inheritance, guardianship, labour/personnel, and consumer rights that must …
On 20 April 2026 John Liebeskind was invited by Prof. Daniel Kraus to deliver a lecture on the Chinese law of innovation at the University of Neuchâtel UNINE within the Master in Innovation program under the Faculty of Law. John outlined the Chinese legal framework governing innovation and technology in private law, administrative law, public …
Des fleurons suisses, dont UBS, Novartis, Läderach, Glencore et Swiss Re, ont rencontré une importante délégation chinoise à Berne. Mais les participants suisses ne voulaient pas que la presse assiste à la table ronde. Par peur de fâcher Donald Trump? Source: https://www.blick.ch/fr/suisse/romande/rencontre-a-berne-entre-la-suisse-et-la-chine-le-business-se-developpe-discretement-id21884317.html?utm_source=whatsapp&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share-button
Basé à Wuhan, l’un des fabricants d’ingrédients au service de Nestlé fait l’objet d’une surveillance accrue des autorités et des médias chinois, dans un pays encore marqué par le scandale du lait contaminé de 2008. Source : https://www.letemps.ch/economie/lait-infantile-contamine-un-fournisseur-chinois-de-nestle-dans-le-viseur
La Chine a considérablement durci son régime de contrôle des exportations, introduisant de nouvelles exigences de conformité qui affectent les entreprises suisses traitant avec la Chine. Les mises à jour intervenues en 2025 et début 2026 élargissent le champ des biens, technologies et logiciels soumis à contrôle et renforcent les exigences en matière d’autorisations et de vérifications. …
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And they are doing things differently from their elders A few years ago it would have been hard to imagine Chinese brands making it big in America. Yet today shoppers in Manhattan can pop by the 2,800-square-metre store of Urban Revivo to pick up one of the Chinese retailer’s trendy outfits, which are all the …
Continue reading “A new generation of Chinese companies is expanding around the world”
John Liebeskind represented a group of workers laid off by their oil major employer after they refused the modification of their contract. Although the employer was registered in Switzerland, the place of work of one of them was China. The company operated under a dummy contract under Chinese law for meeting the latter’s requirement, while …
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Commerce have unveiled the 2025 version of the Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment, outlining key measures to attract and use foreign capital with greater efforts, the commission said on Wednesday. The catalogue, which will be effective from February 1, 2026, represents an …
Chinese lawmakers on Saturday voted to adopt a revision to the Foreign Trade Law. The revised law, which was passed at a session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, will take effect on March 1, 2026. The revised law incorporates provisions on safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, while highlighting that China’s foreign …
SAFE Updates and Releases Catalog of Current Major Laws and Regulations in Effect on Foreign Exchange Administration (As of June 30, 2025) The State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) has recently updated and released the Catalog of Current Major Laws and Regulations in Effect on Foreign Exchange Administration (as of June 30, 2025) (hereinafter referred …
By ZHANG Ying L’intensification de la rivalité internationale oblige les législateurs suisses à choisir entre favoriser l’ouverture aux entreprises et protéger des industries clés face à d’éventuels concurrents. Les décideurs politiques suisses s’apprêtent à mettre en place, pour la première fois, un système de contrôle des investissements étrangers dans les secteurs critiques pour la sécurité …
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The third round of negotiations on upgrading the China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement was held in Beijing. From November 11 to 14, the third round of negotiations to upgrade the China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement was held in Beijing. The two sides conducted in-depth consultations on issues including trade in goods, trade in services, investment, rules of …
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China is increasingly applying domestic law beyond its borders in response to US pressure, legal analysts have suggested. Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329145/us-rivalry-pushing-china-apply-domestic-law-abroad-legal-experts-say
Chinese lawyers are making inroads into the global legal services market in response to growing demand from their compatriots abroad and a push from Beijing. Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3317864/chinese-law-firms-pivotal-moment-they-answer-call-go-global
Shanghai International Commercial Court issues investigation order to support international arbitration Shanghai International Commercial Court has, for the first time, issued an investigation order to assist in evidence collection for an international commercial arbitration case, marking a significant step in China’s efforts to enhance judicial support for international arbitration and foster an arbitration-friendly legal environment. Source: …
Continue reading “SHIAC supports international arbitration interim order”
Nicolas Rouiller, Founding Partner of Swisslegal Rouiller Avocats Corp., has published “International Business Law” with Staempfli, a major Swiss legal publisher, in 2025. “International Business Law” is an introduction to the legal instruments and to the legal environment of business from the perspective of international law. Chinese investors in Switzerland can, therefore, benefit the combination of John …
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China unveiled regulations on Monday to strengthen implementation of its anti-sanctions law as part of efforts to counter external hostilities. Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3303684/china-issues-regulations-boost-implementation-anti-sanctions-law
China has moved to ban authorities from imposing fines on private businesses without a legal basis in the latest draft of a new private-economy promotion law, as the country’s leaders step up efforts to boost confidence in the private sector and shore up economic growth. Source: https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3299981/china-steps-protections-private-sector-updated-draft-law
John Liebeskind assisted a Middle-Eastern pharmaceutical group in an arbitration resulting from the revocation of its contract for the research and development (R&D) of a new drug with a foreign developer. Although the arbitration tribunal ruled that the principal had been at fault, it reduced the multi-million quantum by 80% on the basis of John’s …
John Liebeskind and his team performed the reputation & risk due diligence of a Chinese group borrower on the request of a Geneva bank which was part of the lender’s syndicate for a multi-million loan and advised the bank about the extent of its obligations. The DD revealed that the target had been fined repeatedly …
John Liebeskind lectured on “Objections in Arbitration: Theory & Practice” at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law (SHUPL) 上海政法学院 shànghǎi zhèngfǎ xuéyuàn on 28 November 2024.
John Liebeskind and his team performed the legal due diligence of a Chinese group borrower on the request of a Geneva bank which was part of the lender’s syndicate for a multi-million loan and advised the bank about the extent of its obligations. The DD extended to the corporate-, economic beneficiaries-, documentary- and legal due …
Chinese lawmakers on Friday voted to adopt a law on customs duties to promote high-level opening up. The law, which was passed at a session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the national legislature, will take effect on Dec. 1, 2024. Source: https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202404/26/WS662b0610a31082fc043c4244.html
John Liebeskind lectured on the freezing of assets from a Sino-Swiss perspective at SwissCham Beijing on 18 April 2024.
John Liebeskind advised a whistle blower in a case involving suspected scientific spying to the benefit of the suspected spy’s country and assisted the whistle blower until the highest echelons of the spied country. 916122
John Liebeskind won a freezing order from the court in Shanghai against a bad debtor and, eventually, the remittance of the frozen assets. The debtor had instructed the client, towards whom the debtor was indebted, as agent for the sale of an apartment in Shanghai. They entered a fee agreement entitling the creditor to pay …
L’industriel suisse installé à Shanghai raconte son vécu durant la période marquée par les confinements successifs et la politique zéro covid imposés par Pékin. Il revient aussi sur la place des entreprises étrangères dans une Chine qui traverse non seulement une crise économique, mais connaît aussi des tensions politiques avec ses partenaires étrangers. Source : …
John Liebeskind assisted Global Law Office advising and representing a major Chinese automobile manufacturer against a foreign yet Chinese-controlled joint-venture (JV) partner in an arbitration filed by the latter for breach of the JV contract which was governed by Swiss law. The dispute involved several issues of Swiss contract law diverging from Chinese legal concepts …
Nicolas Rouiller, Founding Partner of Swisslegal Rouiller Avocats Corp., has published “La société anonyme suisse” with Staempfli, a major Swiss legal publisher, in 2022. “La société anonyme suisse” is a comprehensive commentary of the Swiss company law of corporations, A.K.A. shareholding or stakeholding company. It covers commercial-, accounting-, liability-, M&A-, stock exchange- and tax law. Chinese investors in …
John Liebeskind and Global Law Office advised and assisted a Swiss inspection and certification company for the acquisition of three Chinese companies. They conducted the due diligence, advised the client about the legal setup and drafted the related contractual documents. 517446 695724 796256
John Liebeskind advised a Geneva bank about the scope of the Chinese exchange control with respect to deposits of Chinese customers, and about the specificities of the bank’s “know your customer” (KYC) duties related to Chinese customers.
Un patron suisse s’est fait embarquer dans une mise en scène orchestrée par une société chinoise qui s’est avérée être une coquille vide. Il témoigne, alors qu’ils sont nombreux à être tombés dans un piège tendu pour… quelques milliers de francs Source : https://www.letemps.ch/economie/larnaque-deux-yuans-un-entrepreneur-romand-echappe-escrocs-chinois
Le Conseil des Etats a voté lundi soir une motion qui appelle à créer un organe de surveillance des investissements étrangers. La Chambre basse se saisira de cet objet à l’automne. En attendant, le gouvernement et Economiesuisse confirment leur opposition Source : https://www.letemps.ch/economie/suisse-divisee-un-barrage-contre-capitaux-chinois
La mésaventure de l’entreprise suisse rappelle que le respect de la propriété intellectuelle laisse toujours à désirer en Chine. Ce qui toutefois ne veut pas dire que les autorités chinoises restent les bras croisés Source : https://www.letemps.ch/economie/meyer-burger-poursuit-un-faussaire-chinois
John Liebeskind advised a Swiss bank about the drafting and the translation of its general conditions of sale in Chinese and their compliance with Chinese banking law and regulations.
La Chine maintient un contrôle des changes strict. Elle a récemment intensifié sa lutte contre la fuite de capitaux. La question n’est pas théorique puisqu’on on mentionne des trillions de yuans représentant un pourcentage à deux chiffre des réserves de devises chinoises. En Suisse, l’art. 47 du Code de diligence interdit aux banques de prêter …
Continue reading “The PRC Exchange Control: Compliance and Circumvention”
John Liebeskind advised a major Swiss retailer about counterfeit shampoo sold in China by an ex-employee. The client had neglected to protect itself in China with an adequate trademark registration and the related licenses. John halted the counterfeiter and implemented such protection.
Patent Law in Greater China est un ouvrage collectif regroupant les contributions de 25 auteurs dont approximativement la moitié d’appartenance chinoise. Les co-auteurs asiatiques sont enseignants, magistrats, fonctionnaires d’agence étatiques pour la propriété intellectuelle ou encore agents en brevets. Les co-auteurs occidentaux sont principalement allemands; ils exercent les mêmes fonctions ou sont encore juristes au …
John Liebeskind represented a major Swiss NGO sued before Chinese courts by a Chinese employee dispatched by FESCO, a large State-owned dispatching agency. Because of its legal status, the NGO could not directly employ workers, but had to hire them from FESCO. The dispute highlighted the challenges posed by this problematic tripartite relationship.
John Liebeskind advised and assisted a Swiss watch group in obtaining proof of high quality triple-A counterfeit watches in China and using the internal complaint channels of B2C Chinese platforms to halt their sale.
John Liebeskind advised a Swiss company established in China for the downsizing of its workforces. In order to legally circumvent the legal procedure provided by Chinese law for mass layoffs, John advised his client to settle with each worker on the basis of a severance pay package with he individually calculated for each worker.
A representative office using temporary workers is challenging and more burdensome than direct employment, as agencies in practice release all responsibility after workers have been placed. Legal reforms have not clarified the situation, which means it may be time for investors to switch to a WFOE.
John Liebeskind advised a large Swiss bank in Singapore about the compliance of offering e-banking access from abroad in China.
John Liebeskind advised a large Swiss bank in Hong Kong about the legal framework of the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (QFII) scheme in China.
John Liebeskind advised the Chinese Gymnastics Association (CGA) 中国体操协会 zhōngguó tǐcāo xiéhuì about a disciplinary measure rendered by the Fédération internationale de gymnastique (FIG ; World Gymnastics) in violation of the latter’s procedural rules and the appeal of the related decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
John Liebeskind advised a Geneva company producing transducers in China against an ex-employee who produced copycats and sold them to his ex-employer’s clients. John filed a complaint with the Chinese authorities and halted the counterfeiter.
Even though there are obviously local specificities, Chinese-related dispute resolution is not much different than anywhere else in the world insofar as the following basic, universal principle is respected:“prévenir, c’est guérir”. This discussion of Chinese-related dispute resolution is meant for entrepreneurs in China or in business with a Chinese party, not for lawyers. Along with …
In 2004, Switzerland ranked as the 16th-biggest importer and 21st-biggest exporter of goods and the 10th-biggest importer and 18th-biggest exporter of services worldwide,1 a remarkable figure for a country with a population of less than seven-and a-half million persons. At the same time, it ranked 15th for inbound foreign direct investment (FDI) flows but 9th …
In Part I of this article, I discussed the promotion, the admission and the treatment of whenever trade is hampered or their investment harmed in the importing or host country. the legal remedies available to Swiss exporters and investors for protecting their interests half of this study of the legal framework of Swiss international trade …
With the increasing number of mergers and acquisitions during the last two decades, the letter of intent, which precedes most forms of acquisitions of businesses, has become a widespread tool and, indeed, is often considered as a sine qua non condition of any merger or acquisition (M&A). Nevertheless, this institution still enjoys — or suffers …
John Liebeskind advised Chinese State-owned aeronautical conglomerate about the revocation, by the Chinese party, of a sale contract with a foreign supplier following the discovery that the latter had deceived the former by dissimulating its incapacity to perform, and assisted his client in the ensuing arbitration.
In year 2000 Switzerland signed its one hundredth2 Bilateral Investment Treaty (“BIT”)3, all of which contain dispute resolution provisions…Switzerland’s BITs network thus represents the second largest BITs network in the world.