JC Master Legal News Issue 1060

Key Takeaways for This Issue
The China Securities Regulatory Commission and the National Development and Reform Commission have issued an announcement on the work arrangements during the transitional period for the transfer of responsibilities related to the review and approval of corporate bond issuance.
On April 21, in order to implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on institutional reform and to ensure a smooth transition in the transfer of responsibilities for reviewing corporate bond issuances, the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the National Development and Reform Commission issued an announcement on the work plan for the transitional period of this transfer, which shall take effect from the date of its publication.
Two departments have issued the Fire Safety Guidelines for Script-Based Entertainment Venues.
On April 19, the website of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued the “Notice on the Issuance of the Fire Safety Guidelines for Script-Based Entertainment Venues (Trial).”
In 2023, the tax exemption policy for imported exhibits at the China Import and Export Fair was introduced.
It is hereby clarified that, during the exhibition period designated by the Ministry of Commerce for the 2023 Canton Fair, imported exhibits sold within the duty-free quota shall be exempt from import duties, value-added tax at the import stage, and consumption tax.
The Supreme People’s Court has released the Top Ten Intellectual Property Cases of Chinese Courts in 2022 and 50 Typical Intellectual Property Cases.
On April 20, the Supreme People’s Court solemnly released the Ten Major Intellectual Property Cases of Chinese Courts in 2022 and 50 Typical Intellectual Property Cases.
Supreme People’s Court: The right of consumers who have paid the full purchase price for a commercial property to demand delivery of the property enjoys priority.
On April 20, the Supreme People’s Court issued the “Reply of the Supreme People’s Court on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Consumers Purchasing Commodity Housing.”
Finance & Capital Markets
The China Securities Regulatory Commission and the National Development and Reform Commission have issued an announcement on the work arrangements during the transitional period for the transfer of responsibilities related to the review and approval of corporate bond issuance.
In order to implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on institutional reform and ensure a smooth transition in the transfer of responsibilities for reviewing corporate bond issuances, and in accordance with relevant provisions of the Company Law, the Securities Law, the Regulations on the Administration of Corporate Bonds, the General Office of the State Council’s Notice on Implementing Relevant Work Pertaining to the Revised Securities Law, and other applicable laws and regulations, the following arrangements for the transitional period are hereby announced.
I. Setting the Duration of the Transitional Period
To ensure the orderly coordination and smooth transition of the transfer of responsibilities for reviewing corporate bond issuances, a six-month transitional period is established, commencing from the date of this announcement. Prior to the conclusion of the transitional period, the China Securities Regulatory Commission will promptly issue a public notice outlining the overall arrangements for the administration of corporate bonds.
II. During the transition period, arrangements for the acceptance and review of corporate bonds, their issuance and underwriting, as well as registration and custody, will remain unchanged.
(1) The China Securities Regulatory Commission has designated Central Government Bond Registration and Settlement Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Central Settlement Company”) to handle the acceptance process, while Central Settlement Company and the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors (hereinafter referred to as “NAFMII”) are responsible for the review process. With respect to corporate bond applications that have been accepted but not yet registered, Central Settlement Company and NAFMII shall continue to advance the relevant procedures.
(2) The issuance conditions, information disclosure requirements, the format and content of application documents, and the submission procedures for publicly issued corporate bonds shall be governed by the existing relevant regulations on corporate bonds.
(3) Corporate bonds shall continue to be registered and issued through the Central Depository & Clearing Co., Ltd. via book‑entry registration and tender issuance, and shall comply with the existing regulations and requirements applicable to corporate bonds. With respect to corporate bond registration notices that have been issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and remain valid, issuances may proceed in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
(4) Corporate bonds remain registered and custodied with the Central Depository & Clearing Co., Ltd. and China Securities Depository & Clearing Corporation Limited, and are listed for trading in both the interbank bond market and the exchange‑traded bond market.
III. During the transition period, the registration of corporate bond issuances, regulatory enforcement, risk prevention and control, and other related tasks will be seamlessly coordinated.
(1) The China Securities Regulatory Commission exercises its responsibility for the registration of corporate bond issuances. The Central Depository & Clearing Co., Ltd. and the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors have accepted applications for unregistered corporate bonds and submitted them to the China Securities Regulatory Commission for the issuance‑registration procedures.
(2) The China Securities Regulatory Commission and its local branches, stock exchanges, registration and clearing institutions, the Securities Association of China, and other relevant entities shall, in accordance with the law, perform their duties of supervising corporate bonds and managing associated risks, and, by analogy with corporate bonds, carry out routine supervision, inspection and enforcement, and risk‑prevention measures for corporate bonds.
IV. Strengthening the Responsibilities of Corporate Bond Issuers and Relevant Institutions
(1) Corporate bond issuers and other information-disclosure obligors shall promptly fulfill their legal obligations to disclose information, ensuring that all relevant information is disclosed truthfully, accurately, and in full. Corporate bond issuers shall strengthen the management of proceeds from bond offerings, diligently implement debt‑repayment safeguards, and effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of bond investors.
(2) Intermediary institutions, including corporate bond underwriters, credit rating agencies, accounting offices, law offices, asset appraisal agencies, and debt‑agent entities, shall conscientiously fulfill their obligations in accordance with applicable regulations and contractual agreements, exercise due diligence, strictly adhere to professional standards and regulatory requirements, and effectively safeguard the sound functioning of the bond market.
(3) The Central Depository & Clearing Co., Ltd. and the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors shall, in accordance with the relevant requirements of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, perform such tasks as reviewing corporate bond issuance applications, conducting routine supervision, monitoring risks, and ensuring the stable operation of the market; provide efficient, convenient, high-quality, and transparent services; and voluntarily accept oversight.
This announcement shall take effect from the date of its publication.

Upholding Fundamentals While Pursuing Innovation: Pioneering a New Era of High-Quality Development in the Capital Market — The Shanghai Stock Exchange Releases Its 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility Report
In 2022, amid a complex and volatile international environment and daunting domestic reform and development tasks, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, under the unified leadership of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, prioritized stability while seeking progress, remained true to its original mission of “serving the real economy, serving the investing public, and serving the overall national development agenda,” and vigorously advanced efforts to achieve new results in stabilizing growth, managing risks, and promoting reform.
The Shanghai Stock Exchange has evolved into a securities exchange with a well‑rounded market structure, offering four major categories of trading products: equities, bonds, funds, and derivatives. As of the end of 2022, the Exchange listed 2,174 companies, with a total equity market capitalization of RMB 46.4 trillion. In 2022, the stock market recorded cumulative trading volume of RMB 96.3 trillion and raised a total of RMB 847.7 billion, including RMB 358.9 billion from initial public offerings—accounting for 61% of the domestic stock market’s IPO fundraising. The Exchange ranked third globally in total equity market capitalization and first worldwide in IPO proceeds. Bond custody reached RMB 15.9 trillion, up 4.7% year over year, while annual bond financing totaled RMB 4.5 trillion, with cumulative trading (including repurchase agreements) amounting to RMB 380.3 trillion. The number of listed funds stood at 614, with a combined market capitalization of RMB 1.3 trillion, up 10.7% year over year, and cumulative trading volume of RMB 18.8 trillion for the year. Equity options open interest totaled 3.31 million contracts, with annual trading value reaching RMB 647.5 billion. Infrastructure‑related public REITs numbered 16, with nine new issuances added during the year, raising RMB 34.2 billion.
Strengthening the epidemic‑prevention “safety net” to ensure the stable functioning of the capital market. In 2022, the Shanghai Stock Exchange implemented and refined measures to support epidemic control and safeguard market operations, providing full‑scale assistance to frontline efforts in Shanghai and to the city’s economic and social development. Members of the Party Committee led cadres and employees in closed‑office operations for more than 70 days, while the smallest operational teams for trading and technical systems remained on site for nearly 100 days, ensuring the continued normal conduct of core business activities. The Exchange issued the “Notice on Several Measures to Optimize Self‑Regulatory Supervision Services and Further Ensure Market Operations in Response to the Epidemic,” making adjustments and coordinating arrangements for relevant business processes during the pandemic, striving to enhance the convenience of frontline supervision and market services and fully leveraging its role as a primary channel for direct financing. Demonstrating a strong sense of social responsibility, all 143 Party members and staff across the Exchange actively participated in community‑level anti‑epidemic efforts, earning commendations and expressions of gratitude from over 70 neighborhood committees and community organizations throughout the city. In addition, the Exchange donated RMB 5 million to the Pudong Representative Office of the Shanghai Charity Foundation and contributed RMB 10 million to an account designated by the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee for Financial Work.
Staying true to our original aspiration and serving the overarching national development agenda, the Shanghai Stock Exchange has consistently kept in mind the “two overarching contexts” and borne in mind the nation’s paramount interests, continuously strengthening its commitment to serving the country through finance and its sense of political responsibility. First, we deepened reform of the STAR Market to support the innovation-driven development strategy. We issued guidelines on the application of the fifth set of listing criteria for medical device companies; throughout the year, we reviewed IPO applications from 159 companies, approved 124 listings, and raised approximately RMB 240 billion in net proceeds—accounting for 40% of the total net proceeds raised by A‑share IPOs nationwide. The STAR Market’s market‑making trading program was officially launched; by the end of 2022, the first batch of 14 market makers had filed records for 116 stocks, covering 92 STAR Market securities. Second, we advanced bond product innovation to align with national strategic objectives. In 2022, we introduced innovative instruments such as low‑carbon transition bonds and low‑carbon transition‑linked bonds, issuing a total of RMB 24.9 billion. We also issued 33 rural revitalization bonds totaling RMB 22.46 billion, up 368% year over year; eight Belt and Road bonds worth RMB 8.49 billion, an increase of 1,113% year over year; and 76 science‑and‑technology innovation bonds amounting to RMB 97.44 billion, up 922% year over year. Third, we enhanced regulatory quality and effectiveness to improve the overall quality of listed companies. The SSE formulated and completed a new round of the Three-Year Action Plan to Enhance the Quality of Shanghai‑listed Companies and the Three-Year Comprehensive Service Action Plan for Central Enterprises. By the end of 2022, there were 213 state‑owned and centrally administered enterprises listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, accounting for 9.8% of all Shanghai‑listed companies. During the year, the main board disclosed 11 M&A and restructuring transactions involving central enterprises, with a total value of RMB 126.3 billion, and 10 central enterprises completed private placements, raising RMB 20.5 billion. Fourth, we strengthened international cooperation and exchanges, steadily advancing high‑level opening-up. In 2022, the first batch of ETFs were included in the Shanghai–Hong Kong Stock Connect and began trading. By year’s end, a total of 53 ETFs were eligible under the Shanghai Stock Connect, five under the Hong Kong Stock Connect, and 21 Shanghai‑listed companies had announced plans to issue GDRs overseas.
Green development fosters social harmony and coexistence. The Shanghai Stock Exchange has deepened the development of a green financial market, guiding all market participants to pursue high-quality growth that prioritizes ecology and embraces green, low-carbon practices. First, it has vigorously promoted energy conservation and emissions reduction within its own operations. By actively implementing the principles of green development and adhering to requirements for prudent fiscal management, the Exchange achieved notable results in energy‑saving and resource‑efficiency initiatives in 2022. Second, it has strengthened support for financing green projects. By backing green enterprises in sectors such as new energy and energy conservation and environmental protection, the Exchange facilitated their access to capital; in 2022, seven new companies from the new energy and energy‑conservation fields were listed on the STAR Market, raising RMB 24.26 billion. Meanwhile, green bonds and asset‑backed securities issued on the Shanghai market totaled RMB 142.5 billion, up 19% year over year. Third, it has vigorously advanced innovation in green financial products. By the end of 2022, the Shanghai market hosted 34 listed green ETFs with total assets under management of RMB 46.6 billion, an 11.8% increase compared with the previous year. In collaboration with China Securities Index Co., Ltd., the Exchange has jointly launched 122 ESG and other sustainability‑focused indices. Fourth, it has championed the concept of green development. Listed companies are encouraged to disclose ESG information; all STAR Market issuers included ESG‑related disclosures in their 2021 annual reports. The Exchange has also actively urged its members to leverage their role as intermediaries in the capital markets, employing tools such as handbooks, outreach seminars, case‑study collections, and green‑finance training to guide investors across multiple channels in adopting green‑development principles. Fifth, it has deepened international cooperation in green finance. By participating in the formulation of global green‑finance standards, the Exchange has enhanced its international standing in this field. Placing great emphasis on green finance and sustainable development, it has made green finance a key focus of its global outreach, encouraging international investors to allocate more capital to the Chinese market through ESG‑oriented investments.
Putting people first, the Shanghai Stock Exchange officely upholds a people-centered stance in capital market regulation, optimizes market services, safeguards market stability, innovates investor education and training, and organizes public‑interest and charitable initiatives, all in pursuit of common prosperity. First, it has refined its product lineup to meet investors’ needs. In 2022, the Shanghai market saw the listing of 63 new ETFs, raising a total of RMB 61.069 billion, including six STAR Market sector‑themed ETFs, the Zhangjiang Independent Innovation 50 ETF, the Yangtze River Protection ETF, and the China–Korea Semiconductor ETF. Second, it has pioneered innovative investor education and training to enhance stakeholder engagement. Throughout the year, it hosted 154 training sessions, conducted 124 “First Lesson on Listing” events for the STAR Market, and trained 85,000 participants. It also continued its signature “Walk into the SSE” program, with the new building’s investor education center welcoming more than 50 groups totaling 900 visitors, thereby bolstering the effectiveness of its “three‑pronged opening” approach through high‑quality educational services. Third, it has advanced targeted assistance to support rural revitalization. With RMB 15 million in aid funds, it has prioritized industrial and ecological revitalization in Susong County, while also addressing financial support, public‑interest initiatives, and educational assistance. Fourth, it has organized public‑interest and charitable activities to fulfill its social responsibilities. In 2022, the SSE Public Welfare Foundation allocated RMB 23.93 million to support 49 charitable projects.
Looking ahead, the Shanghai Stock Exchange will comprehensively, systematically, and thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, resolutely carry out the major decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, uphold both upholding fundamental principles and promoting innovation, continue to deepen reform, accelerate high-quality development, and make new and greater contributions to building a modern capital market with Chinese characteristics and to advancing Chinese‑style modernization in all respects.

The optimized trading calendar for the Shanghai–Hong Kong Stock Connect has officially gone live, significantly enhancing the efficiency of cross-border investment under the mutual market access framework.
Under the coordinated arrangements of the securities regulators in both markets, the optimized Stock Connect trading calendar will officially take effect next Monday, April 24. This enhancement further improves the efficiency of cross-border investment under the mutual market access schemes, ensures the continuity and convenience of investors’ trading activities, and better meets the needs of domestic and overseas investors seeking to allocate assets across the mainland and Hong Kong capital markets. Following implementation, the first newly added trading days for Stock Connect (Hong Kong) in 2023 will be April 27 and April 28, while the first new trading day for Stock Connect (Shanghai) will be May 25.
Since the two securities regulators issued a joint announcement in August 2022, work to optimize the trading calendar for Stock Connect has been officially launched. Subsequently, the Shanghai Stock Exchange released supporting business rules, including the “Notice on Matters Related to the Addition of New Stock Connect Trading Days,” and updated the 2023 trading schedule for Hong Kong stocks under the Shanghai–Hong Kong Stock Connect. It also specified the exact dates of the newly added Stock Connect trading days for 2023, while ensuring that market participants steadily and orderly completed all necessary technical preparations, thereby successfully concluding the preliminary preparatory work for optimizing the trading calendar.
Going forward, under the unified guidance of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the Shanghai Stock Exchange will continue to advance the further optimization and refinement of the mutual market access mechanisms, thereby enhancing the attractiveness of the capital markets on both sides and contributing to the realization of a high-standard, two-way opening-up of the capital market.

The optimized trading calendar for the Shenzhen–Hong Kong Stock Connect has officially been launched and implemented.
With the approval of the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, the optimized trading calendar for the Shanghai–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Stock Connect will officially come into effect on April 24. On April 21, China Cinda Market Services Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, issued a notice outlining the trading schedule for Stock Connect during the 2023 Labor Day holiday, reminding investors to take note of the newly added trading days.
Previously, due to differences in holiday schedules and settlement arrangements between the two markets, there were instances when one market was open while local investors were unable to trade. Following the implementation of this trading calendar optimization, trading under the Shenzhen–Hong Kong Stock Connect is now permitted on all days that are common to both markets. Accordingly, ahead of the 2023 Labor Day holiday, April 27 and April 28 have been designated as additional trading days, allowing mainland investors to participate in Hong Kong stock trading via Stock Connect. Members and other institutions using trading units must, on these newly added trading days, make appropriate arrangements for settlement and fund transfers as required. For retail investors, there are no changes to settlement or related procedures.
According to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s “Notice on Matters Related to the Addition of Stock Connect Trading Days” and other accompanying business notices, in addition to the Labor Day holiday, two extra Stock Connect trading days will be added before each of the Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day holidays in 2023, reducing the total number of days when Shenzhen–Hong Kong Stock Connect cannot trade by approximately half year-on-year. The Shenzhen Stock Exchange will continue, in accordance with the unified arrangements of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, to work closely with the Shanghai Stock Exchange and China Securities Depository & Clearing Corporation to ensure the smooth launch and stable operation of the relevant systems, while continuously optimizing and improving the mutual market access mechanisms and promoting high‑level two‑way opening-up of the capital market.

The China–Singapore Capital Markets Cooperation Roundtable was successfully held, steadily advancing high-standard, institutionalized opening-up.
On April 21, under the joint guidance of the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and with strong support from the Chongqing Municipal Financial Bureau, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and the Singapore Exchange co-hosted the 2023 China–Singapore Capital Markets Cooperation Roundtable in Chongqing. More than 60 representatives from regulatory authorities of both China and Singapore—including the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Chongqing Municipal Financial Bureau, and the Chongqing Securities Regulatory Bureau—as well as from securities and futures exchanges, clearing institutions, securities offices, fund management companies, investment offices, and commercial banks, attended the event.
This roundtable is an integral part of the Fifth China–Singapore (Chongqing) Strategic Connectivity Demonstration Project Financial Summit. It aims to provide a platform for financial regulators and market participants from both countries to strengthen dialogue and build mutual trust, with in-depth discussions focused on topics such as the cross-border business landscape and outlook of the China–Singapore capital markets, product innovation and cooperation, and cross-border investment and financing opportunities. Together, participants will offer recommendations and contribute to advancing practical cooperation between the two countries’ capital markets.
In recent years, under the unified leadership of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange has maintained strong cooperative ties with various stakeholders in the Singaporean market, engaging in pragmatic collaboration across multiple areas, including product‑and‑mechanism connectivity, market development and promotion, and the exchange of best practices. In line with the mandates of the regulators of both countries, in 2020 the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Singapore Exchange achieved cross‑listing of core indices, providing investors on both sides with a broader array of investment benchmarks. By the end of 2022, the Shenzhen–Singapore ETF mutual access program was officially launched, with three specialized feeder ETFs—tracking the ChiNext Index, the STAR 50 Index, and the FTSE Asia Pacific Low Carbon Index—listed on both exchanges. This marked a significant step forward in enabling Chinese ETFs to “go global” and Singaporean ETFs to “come in,” drawing widespread attention and active participation from investors in both markets.
Meanwhile, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s V-Next platform, in collaboration with domestic and international market institutions, regularly hosts cross-border roadshow and matchmaking events. To date, it has provided services to more than 20 Singaporean technology‑innovation enterprises, facilitating the convergence of high‑quality industries and innovative capital between the two countries. Against the backdrop of China and Singapore establishing a comprehensive, high‑quality, forward‑looking partnership, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange will work together with the Singapore Exchange and relevant market players to fully leverage the distinctive strengths of both markets. By proactively seizing the opportunities presented by the development of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Exchange will continue to refine existing connectivity mechanisms, explore ways to diversify cross‑border product offerings, expand joint market‑development support frameworks, and promote mutually beneficial, win‑win growth in the real economy and capital markets of China and Singapore.
Going forward, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange will continue to thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Central Economic Work Conference. In accordance with the deployment and requirements of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, it will strengthen multi‑sector cooperation with overseas exchanges and market institutions, steadily advance high‑level, institution‑based two‑way opening of the capital market, and strive to build a world‑class exchange distinguished by its status as a premier hub for innovative capital, thereby better serving the establishment of a new development paradigm and the promotion of high‑quality development.

The Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Stock Exchange of Thailand have launched a cooperation on index quotation display, further enhancing the international influence of Shenzhen‑listed indices.
Recently, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (hereinafter referred to as SZSE) and the Stock Exchange of Thailand (hereinafter referred to as SET) have launched a cooperation on index quotation display, further enhancing the international visibility of Shenzhen‑listed indices, facilitating international investors’ access to these indices and their allocation to related investment products, deepening pragmatic cooperation with ASEAN capital markets, and better supporting the high‑quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Stock Exchange of Thailand have maintained a strong, long-standing cooperative relationship. The two exchanges first signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in November 2009, and in April 2019 they concluded a new round of such an agreement, focusing on collaboration in areas including cross-border investment and financing matchmaking mechanisms, green finance, and index‑based products. Earlier, leveraging its V‑Next platform, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, together with the Stock Exchange of Thailand and market institutions from both countries, organized roadshow events that brought together listed companies from the Thai exchange’s priority sectors and their counterparts listed on the Shenzhen market, as well as domestic investment offices. In addition, a dedicated information‑display zone was established, providing exhibition channels for a total of 37 listed companies from the Stock Exchange of Thailand and facilitating connections between small and medium-sized enterprises in key sectors and innovative capital in both markets.
On this occasion, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange has published market quotations for six indices via SETTRADE, the website under the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Specifically: three core Shenzhen‑market indices—namely, the SZSE Component Index, which serves as the benchmark for the Shenzhen market; the ChiNext Index, a representative index of “innovation and growth”; and the SZSE 100 Index, a benchmark for “innovative blue chips”—as well as two distinctive broad‑based A‑share indices—the CSI A50 Index, which tracks leading industry players, and the CSI 2000 Index, which represents small‑cap stocks—and one cross‑border index, the Bay Innovation 100 Index, designed to reflect the cluster advantages and innovative development characteristics of listed companies in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. Meanwhile, the Stock Exchange of Thailand has showcased market‑benchmark indices through the CSI Index Website, including the SET Composite Index, the SET 50 Index, and the SETTHSI Index, which measures sustainable investment in Thailand.
In recent years, Shenzhen Securities Information Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as SZSE Info), a subsidiary of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, has actively explored “replicable and easily scalable” cross-border index‑cooperation models. It has engaged with more than ten overseas exchanges, including the Singapore Exchange, Japan Exchange Group, and London Stock Exchange Group, to initiate index‑related collaborations or reach preliminary agreements on such partnerships. Beyond co‑listing index‑pricing data, SZSE Info has deepened its engagement in the capital markets of countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative, supporting the development of local market indices. In collaboration with the Dhaka Stock Exchange and the Bursa Malaysia, it has launched cross‑border jointly‑compiled indices, such as the CSI Dhaka Select Index and the CSI Malaysia 50 Index, providing local markets with investment benchmarks and underlying assets for index‑based products. Meanwhile, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange has continued to expand its lineup of overseas ETFs tracking Shenzhen‑market indices, listing index‑based funds in South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the United States, and other jurisdictions, with benchmark indices featuring distinctive Shenzhen‑market offerings such as the ChiNext Index, the SZSE 100 Index, and the Bay Area Innovation 100 Index.
Going forward, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange will thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Central Economic Work Conference, and the Two Sessions. Under the leadership of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, it will unswervingly deepen reform and expand opening-up, enrich and broaden cross‑border product connectivity mechanisms, continuously strengthen cross‑border infrastructure interconnectivity, and improve the institutionalized service framework for overseas medium- and long-term investors. The Exchange will further promote broad‑based, high‑level cooperation with overseas exchanges and market institutions, striving to build a world‑class exchange distinguished by its status as a hub for high‑quality, innovative capital, thereby better supporting the high‑standard, institution‑based, two‑way opening of China’s capital market.

Commercial & Corporate
From “rapid recovery” to “steady recovery,” China’s property market stabilized in the first quarter.
In the first quarter, China’s real estate market shifted from a “rapid recovery” to a “steady recovery,” and the pace of the market’s stabilization and rebound is expected to become more sustainable.
On the 18th, China’s National Bureau of Statistics released the country’s first-quarter economic report. Among the findings, several real estate indicators continued the stabilization and recovery trend that began at the start of the year. On the sales front, although the total floor space of commercial housing sold in the first quarter remained on a downward trajectory year-on-year—down 1.8%—the sales area of residential properties turned positive, rising 1.4%. Meanwhile, commercial housing sales revenue also reversed its decline, posting a year-on-year increase of 4.1%.
Liu Lijie, a market analyst at the Shell Research Institute, stated that this marks the first year-on-year increase in sales area of commodity residential properties since early last year. Compared with historical trends, the scale of new‑home sales in the first quarter of 2023 was second only to the peak level recorded in 2021, and the cumulative year-on-year growth rate of commodity residential sales expanded to 7.1% during the same period. These developments clearly signal a recovery in the housing market.
Chai Qiang, president of the China Real Estate Appraisers and Agents Association, noted that in the first quarter, key indicators of China’s real estate market showed positive trends, with the market broadly stabilizing and rebounding, and both homebuyers’ and investors’ confidence strengthening. “It is fair to say that the bottom of the real estate market has passed, and the most challenging phase for property developers has likely come to an end as well.”
Chai Qiang believes that the real estate market’s rebound in the first quarter can be attributed to three main factors: First, housing demand that had been deferred or accumulated due to the COVID‑19 pandemic was released relatively concentratedly after the shift in epidemic prevention measures. Second, in recent months, several cities have eased regulatory policies on finance, taxation, purchase restrictions, and price caps—most notably through cuts in personal mortgage rates and reductions in down payment requirements—allowing a series of measures to support both first‑time homebuyers and those seeking to upgrade their housing to take effect. Third, efforts to ensure timely delivery of pre-sold homes are progressing smoothly across regions, giving buyers greater confidence to purchase and gradually restoring market sentiment.
Li Yujia, chief researcher at the Housing Policy Research Center of the Guangdong Provincial Urban Planning Institute, also noted that in the first quarter, sales area of commodity residential properties posted its first year-on-year increase since early 2022. This was primarily driven by the combined effect of pent-up demand for essential housing, home‑changing needs, and improving market expectations, resulting in a robust release of housing demand during the period.
However, since mid-March, the pace of recovery in many local housing markets has slowed. This trend is reflected in the year-on-year change in national real estate development investment during the first quarter. According to official data, real estate development investment nationwide fell 5.8% year on year in the first quarter, with the cumulative decline widening by 0.1 percentage point compared with January–February.
Chen Xiao, a senior analyst at the Zhuge Data Research Center, believes that in January and February, supported by the market’s rapid recovery, the decline in real estate development investment narrowed. However, in March, the year-on-year drop in development investment widened again, indicating that developers’ confidence has yet to fully rebound.
From a transaction‑volume perspective, Chen Xiao noted that in March, the sales area of commercial residential properties declined slightly by 2.11% month over month, while sales revenue fell marginally by 2.28% compared with the previous month. The real estate market shifted in March from the rapid recovery seen in February to a phase of steady growth. Following the concentrated release of pent-up demand in the first two months, the pace of market normalization has slowed, suggesting that the “rapid recovery” pattern of the earlier period is unlikely to persist and that the market will henceforth be characterized primarily by a “steady rebound.”
Data from the China Index Academy corroborates this trend. According to the institute, after a post‑Q1 surge in transaction volumes across 50 key cities, weekly sales of newly built commodity residential properties declined overall during the first half of April, signaling a drop in market activity. In the short term, as previously pent‑up demand is further unwound, sales are expected to ease month‑over‑month. Meanwhile, divergence among urban housing markets has intensified: in certain core cities, supply-side support remains relatively robust, and market dynamism is likely to persist.
Xu Xiaole, chief market analyst at the Shell Research Institute, believes that the natural decline in April’s housing transactions does not signal a weakening of the market’s recovery momentum. He points out that stable home prices are the foundation for the sustained restoration of market expectations, fostering a virtuous cycle of rising sales volume and prices and encouraging previously hesitant buyers to enter the market. According to data on housing prices in 70 major and medium-sized Chinese cities released recently by the National Bureau of Statistics for March, the number of cities recording month-on-month price increases reached 64 for new homes and 57 for existing homes—both hitting multi-month highs. In that month, home prices rose across all tiers of cities—first-, second-, and third-tier—on a month-over-month basis.
Overall, the real estate recovery is expected to gain further momentum. Chen Xiao noted that, in recent weeks, cities across the country have begun their first rounds of centralized land auctions this year, with strong performance in the land markets of key cities, suggesting that the pace of recovery in real estate development investment will likely accelerate going forward.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has issued seven notices to standardize the management of sand and gravel mining.
On April 19, the website of the Ministry of Natural Resources published the “Notice on Standardizing and Improving the Management of Sand and Gravel Mining.”
The Notice clarifies that mining development should be planned and laid out in a scientific manner, with mining rights allocated in a rational and orderly fashion; it calls for the proactive implementation of “clean‑mine” land transfers, stringent management of sand and gravel extraction for construction projects, standardized handling of sand and gravel generated during mining operations, vigorous promotion of green mine development, and strengthened oversight and law enforcement. The Notice further stipulates that the natural resources authorities responsible for the registration and transfer of mining rights to sand and gravel resources must, prior to such transfers, conduct on‑site inspections in coordination with relevant departments to verify areas where sand and gravel extraction is prohibited or restricted. In prohibited zones, spatial avoidance must be strictly enforced; in restricted zones, clear control requirements must be established, and the scope of mining rights to be granted must be determined appropriately. When transferring marine sand mining rights, the system of integrated tendering, auction, and listing for both marine sand mining rights and maritime use rights must be rigorously implemented.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has issued 23 industry standards.
On April 19, the website of the Ministry of Natural Resources published the “Announcement on the Release of 23 Industry Standards, Including the ‘Norm for Urban–Rural Public Health Emergency Space Planning.’”
The industry standards released in this announcement primarily include the “Land Use Control Indicators for Photovoltaic Power Generation Projects,” the “Quality Management Specifications for Geological Exploration Activities,” the “Mineral Geological Exploration Specification: Jade and Jadeite,” the “Environmental Geological Survey Specification (1:50,000),” and the “Engineering Geological Drilling Procedures,” among others.

Beijing has issued 22 plans, placing the restoration and expansion of consumption as a top priority.
On April 18, the Beijing Municipal Government website published the “Notice on Issuing the 2023 Action Plan for Accelerating the Recovery and Expansion of Consumption and Sustaining Efforts to Build Beijing into an International Consumption Center.”
To thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Central Economic Work Conference, and the Two Sessions, and to earnestly carry out the Ministry of Commerce’s deployment for the “Year of Boosting Consumption,” we will uphold the coordinated approach of the “Five Initiatives” to serve and integrate into the new development paradigm, balance the expansion of domestic demand with the deepening of supply-side structural reform, prioritize the recovery and expansion of consumption, focus on convenience and quality improvement, further elevate the cultivation and development of Beijing as an international consumption center, vigorously bolster market confidence, and effectively enhance the sense of gain among citizens. To this end, this Action Plan has been formulated.
I. Promote green consumption and boost bulk purchases.
1. Vigorously promote green consumption. Optimize and implement policies that encourage green consumption, explore leveraging the online platforms of participating businesses and live-streaming platforms to issue “Jingcai·Green” consumption vouchers, and encourage financial institutions to offer additional discounts and benefits to consumers.
2. Promote the upgrading of automobile consumption. Extend the policy of subsidies for replacing old vehicles with new‑energy vehicles, providing eligible owners who trade in their passenger cars for new‑energy small passenger vehicles with financial incentives. Accelerate the circulation of used cars by offering appropriate rewards to dealerships that contribute to the transfer of used vehicles out of the city. Explore ways to encourage used‑car dealers in the city to transition from a brokerage model to a dealership model. Study and refine specific measures to streamline cross‑regional registration for used‑car transactions, enabling both parties to complete registration procedures directly at the vehicle’s location. Encourage financial institutions to expand their range of financial services, foster innovation in financial products that support new‑car purchases and used‑car circulation, and broaden the availability of inclusive financial products for automobile consumption.
II. Strengthen efforts to cultivate and attract brands, and accelerate the development of a new hub for fashion consumption.
3. Accelerate the development of fashion‑related retail enterprises in Beijing. Explore leveraging the city’s existing science and technology parks and cultural industry parks to expedite the agglomeration and growth of R&D, design, corporate headquarters, and financial settlement functions within the fashion sector. Expand the international reach of China International Fashion Week, host a series of events under Beijing International Design Week, and create a “film festival that never closes.”
4. Vigorously develop the “first-store, first-launch” economy. Fully leverage the upgraded Version 3.0 of the first-store policy, stepping up support for brand owners and retailers that open their first stores, flagship outlets, or innovative concept stores, as well as for new-product launch events, with the goal of adding approximately 800 new brand‑first stores throughout the year. Innovatively organize global launch festivals and establish a number of globally‑oriented debut centers that showcase Beijing’s unique character and serve as national exemplars, providing a platform for domestic and international fashion brands to stage their premier launches and runway shows.
5. Enhance the system for cultivating and incubating local brands. Leverage the “Jingyi Xuan” platform to help more high-quality “Made in Beijing” brands go online. Further refine the ecosystem for incubating new‑consumption brands, and strengthen support for new‑consumption brand enterprises, incubation hubs, and specialized institutions. Guide key platforms to establish dedicated sections for “Beijing Brands.” Promote the digital transformation of time‑honored brands, and develop clusters of such brands in areas like Qianmen and Dashilan.
III. Optimize the spatial layout of consumption and promote the integration of online and offline channels.
6. Implement the Special Plan for Commercial and Consumer Space Layout with high quality. Accelerate the development of a four-tier commercial and consumer space framework comprising “international consumption experience zones, urban consumption centers, regional vitality‑driven consumption circles, and community‑based convenience‑oriented living circles.” Launch a new round of action plans to renovate and upgrade commercial districts, along with district‑specific “one district, one strategy” schemes, to help Wangfujing, the CBD, and other areas become world‑class commercial hubs. Speed up efforts to enhance the quality of key commercial districts such as Chongwenmen, and initiate renovation and upgrading projects for major shopping malls like Xidan Department Store. Support businesses in actively participating in the development of pedestrian‑friendly commercial streets. Promote seamless integration between rail transit stations and key commercial facilities, further improve traffic management in priority commercial districts and their surrounding areas, and create a favorable travel environment.
7. Expand the supply of high-quality consumer offerings. Enhance the global influence of Universal Studios to drive upgrades in surrounding commercial sectors. Leveraging projects such as DT51, Shougang Liugonghui, and Longfor Yizhuang Tianjie, we will deliver premium, immersive shopping experiences. We will also see the completion and commissioning of projects like the Jinjie Shopping Center renovation, the opening and operation of large-scale commercial complexes such as Shoukai Long Street, and the launch of cultural‑tourism initiatives including the South Central Axis International Cultural Science Park and the Wulituo Universal Carnival.
8. Accelerate the development of the “Dual-Hub” international consumption gateway. Strengthen the allocation of resources within the “Dual-Hub” international route network, advance high‑level liberalization of international air rights, and expand the coverage and connectivity of the “Dual-Hub” airports’ international route networks. Enhance the comprehensive transportation network at Beijing Capital International Airport and develop a fully functional, cluster‑based convention and exhibition complex. Complete the solicitation of urban design proposals for the Daxing Airport Aerotropolis Convention and Exhibition Center and the Consumption Hub Area. Install additional self‑service kiosks at the departure tax‑refund counters at both Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport to streamline tax‑refund services.
9. Accelerate the development of 15-minute convenience‑oriented living circles. Implement the “Several Measures for Accelerating the Development of 15-Minute Convenience‑Oriented Living Circles and Promoting the Transformation and Upgrading of the Lifestyle Services Sector.” Leveraging dynamic mapping, precisely supplement and upgrade convenient commercial and service facilities, and continuously strengthen the network of community‑level services. Develop and refine standards for delineating and evaluating 15‑minute convenience‑oriented living circles, using evaluation to drive construction and expedite the establishment of these vital urban service hubs.
10. Promote high-quality development of the catering industry. Develop approximately five signature “late-night dining” districts, introduce around 100 renowned domestic and international food brands, and cultivate roughly 6,000 catering businesses with robust digital marketing capabilities. Guide industry associations to deepen skills‑competition initiatives, organize selections for culinary artisans, service stars, and celebrated Beijing‑cuisine chefs, and highlight and disseminate best practices from distinctive restaurants, thereby setting an example to drive innovation in menu offerings, environmental improvements, and service quality across the city’s catering sector.
11. Foster and expand the online consumption market. Support the sustained, healthy development of emerging consumption models such as livestream e‑commerce and instant retail. Optimize and implement policies to nurture and strengthen the online consumption market, extending support beyond online retailers and internet‑based lifestyle service platforms to include livestreaming platforms, livestream e‑commerce service providers, and specialized livestream e‑commerce hubs. Encourage enterprises to actively launch online promotional campaigns and themed livestreaming events. Promote the establishment of a number of headquarters and settlement centers for livestream e‑commerce.
IV. Deepen the “Consumption Plus” and “Plus Consumption” initiatives to foster the integrated development of commerce, tourism, culture, and sports consumption.
12. Unleash new vitality in trendy sports consumption. Make rational use of urban parks, suburban parks, public green spaces, and other available areas to add facilities for outdoor, trend‑setting sports activities. Solicit and select high‑quality sports tourism projects, integrating scenic spots, routes, events, and sports tourism destinations that combine sport, leisure, and travel. Encourage market players and social organizations to establish youth sports clubs and other youth‑oriented sports entities, promoting the standardized, high‑quality development of such clubs. Enhance and upgrade flagship events such as the Beijing Marathon, the China Open, and the Beijing International Long Distance Running Festival–Beijing Half Marathon. Successfully host the fourth 8.8 Beijing Sports Consumption Festival and the Beijing Municipal Sports Games. Attract and cultivate fashionable, emerging sports events and activities, including cycling, water sports, disc golf, and camping.
13. Building a signature brand for ice and snow consumption. We will promote the public opening of Olympic venues to ensure year-round operations, and, in line with Yanqing’s plan to become an “international ski resort and tourism destination,” vigorously advance the development of the Beijing–Zhangjiakou Sports, Culture, and Tourism Corridor. We will successfully host the 2022–2023 Ice and Snow Sports Consumption Season, stepping up efforts to boost venue operations, event organization, tourism and leisure, and brand development. We will also organize the 9th Citizens’ Happy Ice and Snow Season and the Beijing Open Ice and Snow Championships, while widely promoting a variety of mass‑participation ice and snow activities. Furthermore, we will actively integrate ice and snow sports into schools, host the second Beijing Winter Games, and stage a series of winter sports events for youth. Finally, we will proactively bid to host international ice and snow competitions, striving to bring more such events to Beijing.
14. Accelerate the development of Beijing as a “City of Performing Arts.” Leverage the “Great Performances in Beijing” initiative as a leading indicator, and introduce immersive and interactive performance formats. Host the 11th Beijing Cultural Consumption Season for the People to high standards, implement measures to boost cultural consumption, and provide support to eligible market entities in the cultural sector. Capitalize on the comprehensive policy support offered by the Beijing Culture and Arts Fund, the Beijing Performing Arts Service Platform, and other mechanisms across the entire value chain, encouraging and guiding performing arts troupes and entertainment operators to present a slate of high‑quality productions that are intellectually profound, artistically exquisite, and meticulously produced. Continuously enhance the brand influence of signature events such as China Opera Culture Week.
15. Promote the upgrading and expansion of cultural and tourism consumption. Implement the “Beijing Measures for Rewarding the Expansion of New Cultural and Tourism Consumption,” providing incentives for eligible new products, innovative settings, emerging business models, and novel offerings in the cultural and tourism sectors. Deeply explore the cultural essence of the three cultural corridors and launch a series of high-quality tourism routes. Expand the influence of cultural and tourism–driven consumption brands such as “Strolling Through Beijing,” “Cycling Through Beijing,” “Instagrammable Check-in Spots,” “Beijing Micro-Vacations,” “Rural Charm of the Capital,” and “Beijing: Flowers, Fruits, and Honey.” Focus on shaping the city’s cultural image by organizing and carrying out diverse cultural and creative projects. Accelerate the deep integration of rural homestays with nearby scenic areas, family‑oriented education, leisure agriculture, and health‑and‑wellness initiatives, thereby enhancing the quality and efficiency of rural tourism.
16. Continuously boost the nighttime economy. Develop signature consumption landmarks, integrated check-in hotspots, and high-quality lifestyle districts under the “Night Beijing” brand, enhancing its appeal both domestically and internationally. Launch distinctive tourism offerings such as nighttime cruises along the Grand Canal, the Liangma River, and Yanqi Lake, and introduce evening tour routes in municipally‑run parks where conditions permit. Expand and diversify nighttime mass‑participation sports events and activities.
V. Accelerate the conversion of “science, education, healthcare, elderly care, and tourism” resources, and optimize the supply of service‑oriented consumption.
17. Foster new scenarios and ecosystems for digital consumption. Establish a metaverse demonstration and experience center, advance the operational launch of projects such as the Beijing Smart Esports Tournament Center, and host the “Esports Beijing 2023” series of events. Expand the coverage of digital RMB in small‑value, high‑frequency consumption settings within the city, and integrate digital RMB into initiatives like the “Beijing Consumption Season.” Strengthen policy support for critical core technologies and common technologies in consumer‑oriented application scenarios.
18. Enhance the quality of education, healthcare, and medical insurance services. Promote efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of international student education at Beijing’s universities. Advance the pilot program for international medical services. Develop “Internet Plus” health‑care initiatives and encourage hospitals to implement telemedicine applications such as remote diagnosis and remote treatment. Further optimize and upgrade the Beijing Inclusive Health Insurance product, expanding its coverage even more.
19. Accelerate the development of the elderly‑care consumption market. Issue and implement a work plan to promote the growth of this market. Encourage the development of traditional Chinese medicine–based health products and services that are well‑suited for integration with the tourism industry, and launch a number of TCM‑focused health‑tourism itineraries that combine wellness, long-term care, and sightseeing. Expand telemedicine‑and‑elderly‑care integrated remote collaborative services, gradually incorporating such institutions into the scope of these services. Establish subsidy standards for home‑adaptation renovations tailored to the needs of older adults. Pilot innovative models of elderly‑care services to provide convenient, locally accessible support for seniors.
20. Accelerate the recovery of the convention and exhibition industry. Introduce policies and measures to promote innovative development in the sector, expedite the planning of the Daxing Airport International Convention and Exhibition Center, and advance the construction of Phase II of the National Convention Center and Phase II of the New China International Exhibition Center. Guide major venues to adopt differentiated functional positioning, strengthen efforts to attract and cultivate high-quality exhibitions and market players, and actively draw domestic and international MICE enterprises and industry associations to host premier‑level events and activities in Beijing, thereby hastening the creation of Beijing’s signature brand in the convention and exhibition field.
VI. Fostering a Favorable Atmosphere Through Innovative Services and Continuously Optimizing the Consumer Environment
21. Actively explore innovations in regulatory and service delivery in the consumer sector. Provide more convenient and efficient government services. Optimize and refine the business entry and operational licensing regime in the consumer sector, and innovate approval‑related services. Streamline procedures for obtaining licenses and permits, and intensify efforts to promote the widespread adoption of electronic licenses and certificates. Advance reforms toward integrated and flexible regulation, and enhance the scientific rigor and standardization of regulatory practices.
22. The Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region is coordinating and jointly launching a series of Consumption Season events. In collaboration with Hebei Province and Tianjin Municipality, the initiative centers on Beijing’s Consumption Season, featuring 25 signature thematic activities spanning commerce, tourism, culture, and sports—such as the Quality Life Festival, the Global Debut Festival, the National‑Style Beijing Products Festival, the Ice and Snow Consumption Festival, the Sports Consumption Festival, “Night Beijing,” and the Winter Solstice Reunion Festival. Support policies for Beijing’s Consumption Season have been refined to encourage market entities to innovate and organize consumer‑stimulating initiatives, while independently issuing “Jingcai” consumption vouchers. All efforts are being made to ensure that these promotional activities are conducted safely and in an orderly manner.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development has issued the “Qualification Standards for Construction Project Quality Inspection Agencies” and has made arrangements for the corresponding transitional measures.
On April 19, the website of the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development published the “Notice on Issuing the ‘Qualification Standards for Construction Engineering Quality Inspection Agencies’” and the “Notice on Effectively Carrying Out the Transition Between the Old and New Qualification Standards for Construction Engineering Quality Inspection Agencies.”
The Standard covers aspects such as the qualifications and reputation of testing institutions, key personnel, testing equipment and facilities, and management capabilities. Testing institution qualifications are categorized into two types: comprehensive qualifications and specialized qualifications. The specialized qualifications encompass nine specific areas, including building materials and components, structural systems and interior finishes, steel structures, foundations, building energy efficiency, architectural curtain walls, municipal engineering materials, road engineering, and bridge and underground works. Based on these two categories of qualifications, the Standard clearly defines the corresponding criteria and scope of services.
The Notice clarifies that a transition period will be in effect from the date of promulgation of the new standard until July 31, 2024. During this transition period, the validity of qualification certificates for construction engineering quality inspection agencies that expire will be uniformly extended to July 31, 2024. Effective from the date of the new standard’s issuance, any entity applying for qualification as a construction engineering quality inspection agency shall submit its application in accordance with the new standard. With respect to qualification applications that were accepted but for which a licensing decision had not yet been made prior to the issuance of the new standard, applicants may either continue to proceed under the original standards or resubmit their applications in compliance with the new standards. Applications processed under the original standards will be issued certificates valid until July 31, 2024; applications processed under the new standards will be issued certificates with a validity period of five years.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology plans to issue the “Administrative Measures for the Recognition of National-Level Industrial Design Centers.”
On April 20, the website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology published the “Public Notice Soliciting Comments on the Measures for the Recognition and Administration of National-Level Industrial Design Centers (Draft for Public Comment),” with a deadline for submitting feedback set for May 19.
The Measures consist of four chapters and thirteen articles, stipulating that to apply for designation as a national-level industrial design center, an entity must first be a provincial-level industrial design center that has been in stable operation for at least three years. It must also have a fixed workplace, robust hardware and software infrastructure, a sound management system, and a stable staffing structure; meet the evaluation criteria for national-level industrial design centers; remain free from any major environmental, quality, or safety incidents over the past three years; not be listed as a seriously untrustworthy entity; and have no record of significant violations of the law or ongoing investigations by relevant authorities for suspected illegal conduct. Furthermore, enterprise‑based design centers established by manufacturing enterprises and other entities must be separately established, independently operated branches or internal departments.

Two departments have issued the Fire Safety Guidelines for Script-Based Entertainment Venues.
On April 19, the website of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued the “Notice on the Issuance of the Fire Safety Guidelines for Script-Based Entertainment Venues (Trial).”
The Guidelines comprise five areas and 20 provisions, specifying that buildings housing script‑based entertainment venues must be legally constructed and may not be located on the second basement level or below; within residential buildings; in “three‑in‑one” facilities, color‑steel‑panel structures, or self‑built houses owned by villagers or residents; in the same building as premises used for the production, storage, or operation of flammable or explosive hazardous materials; or adjacent to Class A or Class B hazardous‑material warehouses. Venues primarily serving children may not be situated in basements, semi‑basements, or on the fourth floor or higher above ground. Such venues shall be equipped with automatic fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers, and other fire‑protection facilities; emergency lighting and evacuation signage; video surveillance systems; safety‑requirement notices for patrons; fire‑resistance partitions; and one‑button lock‑release devices, among other measures.

Taxation
Two departments have jointly issued a document to adjust the list of railway and air transport enterprises subject to consolidated tax filing.
The “Notice on Adjusting the List of Branches of Railway and Air Transport Enterprises Eligible for Consolidated VAT Filing,” issued by the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration, was publicly released on the Ministry of Finance’s website on April 20.
With respect to railway transport enterprises, the Notice supplements, removes, or modifies the branch institutions listed in Annex 1 of the Notice, and also adds to or deletes from Annex 2, “List of VAT Consolidated Tax‑Paying Branches of China State Railway Group (II),” which is attached to Cai Shui [2020] No. 56. The railway transport enterprise branches that are added, modified, or removed shall, effective from the dates specified in Annex 1 of the Notice, either begin to or cease to pay value‑added tax in accordance with the provisions of Cai Shui [2020] No. 56. With respect to air transport enterprises, the Notice supplements the list of head office and branch institutions set out in the annex to Cai Shui [2020] No. 30, adding the branch institutions listed in Annex 2 of the Notice.

In 2023, the tax exemption policy for imported exhibits at the China Import and Export Fair was introduced.
On April 15, the Ministry of Finance, in conjunction with the General Administration of Customs and the State Taxation Administration, issued the “Notice on Preferential Tax Policies for Imported Exhibits Sold During the 2023 China Import and Export Fair.”
The Notice clarifies that, for the Canton Fair held in 2023, imported exhibits sold during the exhibition period designated by the Ministry of Commerce are exempt from import duties, value-added tax at the import stage, and consumption tax, up to the applicable duty-free quota. For each exhibitor, the cumulative limits on the categories of exhibits, sales quantities, or sales amounts eligible for tax benefits during the current year’s exhibition period shall be implemented in accordance with the relevant regulations. Exhibits benefiting from these tax incentives do not include goods prohibited from import by the state, endangered species of animals and plants and their products, tobacco, alcohol, automobiles, or items listed in the “Catalogue of Major Technological Equipment and Products Not Eligible for Import Duty Exemption.”
The content of the Notice is as follows:
To support the successful organization of the China Import and Export Fair (hereinafter referred to as the Canton Fair), and with the approval of the State Council, the relevant tax policies are hereby notified as follows:
I. Import exhibits sold during the exhibition period designated by the Ministry of Commerce at the 2023 Canton Fair, within the duty-free quota, shall be exempt from import duties, value-added tax at the import stage, and consumption tax. The cumulative limits on the categories of exhibits, sales quantities, or sales amounts eligible for tax benefits, applicable to each exhibitor during this year’s exhibition period, shall be in accordance with the provisions set forth in the Annex.
II. Exhibits eligible for tax preferences do not include goods prohibited from import by the state, endangered species of animals and plants and their products, tobacco, alcohol, automobiles, or items listed in the “Catalogue of Major Technological Equipment and Products Not Eligible for Duty-Free Importation.”
III. With respect to any exhibits sold by each exhibitor during the exhibition period that exceed the categories or sales thresholds eligible for tax‑preferential treatment, as well as those exhibits that remain unsold during the exhibition and are not re‑exported after its conclusion, taxes shall be levied in accordance with applicable national regulations.
IV. The list of exhibitors and the inventory of imported exhibits sold during the exhibition period shall be submitted in a unified manner to Guangzhou Customs by the organizing entity, China Foreign Trade Center or China Foreign Trade Center Group Co., Ltd.
V. With respect to the sale of imported exhibits during the exhibition period that qualify for the policy, Customs will no longer apply follow-up supervision as if they were goods eligible for specific tax exemptions or reductions.
VI. Within six months after the conclusion of each exhibition, the China Foreign Trade Center shall submit a report on the implementation of the policy to the Ministry of Finance, the General Administration of Customs, and the State Taxation Administration.

“Discovering the Most Beautiful: You Judge, I Comment” — The “Seeing Taxation at the Grassroots: Tax Benefits Empowering High-Quality Development” Zhejiang Online Commentary Brand Campaign Has Been Launched.
Spring brings good tidings, and tax services in Zhejiang are warm and welcoming. On April 18, the launch ceremony for the “Discovering Beauty: You Evaluate, We Comment” — “Visiting the Grassroots to See Taxation: Tax Benefits Empowering High-Quality Development” Zhejiang‑wide online commentary campaign was held in Hangzhou. Officials from the Network Society Work Bureau of the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Tax Publicity Center of the State Taxation Administration, the Zhejiang Provincial Commission for Cyberspace Affairs, the Zhejiang Provincial Tax Service Bureau of the State Taxation Administration, China.org.cn, and Sina Weibo attended the event, officially kicking off the initiative.
The year 2023 marks the inaugural year for fully implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, as well as the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the “88 Strategy,” the 60th anniversary of the promotion of the “Fengqiao Experience,” and the year in which the 19th Asian Games will be held. The Zhejiang tax authorities, officely aligned with the overarching theme of “modernizing taxation to serve Chinese-style modernization,” have seized the opportunities presented by the 32nd National Tax Publicity Month and the 10th anniversary of the “Spring Breeze Action” for Convenient Tax Services. Focusing on the spirit of the times, Zhejiang’s distinctive characteristics, and the needs and expectations of taxpayers and payers, they have actively leveraged the functions of taxation, continuously optimized the tax-related business environment, and helped Zhejiang achieve breakthrough progress in the three key areas of innovation, reform, and opening-up. In doing so, they are contributing the strength of taxation to building an “important window” through the “two pioneering efforts” and to advancing Chinese-style modernization with determination.
Taxes are collected from the people and used for the people, and both macroeconomic development and micro‑level production and daily life are closely linked to taxation. This event is co‑hosted by the Network Social Work Bureau of the Cyberspace Administration of China and the Tax Publicity Center of the State Taxation Administration, and jointly organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Cyberspace Administration, the Zhejiang Provincial Tax Service of the State Taxation Administration, and China.org.cn, with Sina Weibo as a supporting partner. It aims to implement the decisions and arrangements on conducting extensive investigations and research, and, under the theme “Discovering Beauty: Your Comments, My Analysis—Observing Taxation at the Grassroots Level: Tax Benefits Empowering High‑Quality Development,” invites journalists from online media, advocates of positive online energy, and online commentators to conduct on‑site visits. The initiative seeks to hear about Zhejiang’s remarkable achievements in advancing common prosperity and provincial modernization as pioneers of socialism with Chinese characteristics, as well as the tax‑related stories behind these accomplishments; to experience the strong impetus provided by tax authorities in driving high‑quality economic and social development; and to foster a favorable public opinion environment that helps build a harmonious and prosperous tax‑related social atmosphere.
During the event, online media reporters, advocates of positive online influence, and online commentators will visit numerous enterprises and tax service centers in Hangzhou, Huzhou, and Jiaxing. By learning about the development journeys of these businesses, soliciting their needs, gathering their insights, and assessing the outcomes of their initiatives, they will gain a firsthand sense of the pioneering tax‑administration practices driving reform and the warmth of Zhejiang’s tax services in supporting economic growth—ensuring that the spring breeze of tax modernization, serving China’s distinctive path to modernization, reaches millions of households.

LITIGATION & ARBITRATION
The Supreme People’s Court has released the Top Ten Intellectual Property Cases of Chinese Courts in 2022 and 50 Typical Intellectual Property Cases.
The Top Ten Intellectual Property Cases of Chinese Courts in 2022
I. Copyright Infringement Dispute between Hangzhou Big-Headed Son Cultural Development Co., Ltd. and CCTV Animation Group Co., Ltd. [Supreme People’s Court Civil Judgment No. 44 of 2022]
II. Dispute over whether Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Wenzhou Haihe Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. fall within the scope of patent protection [Civil Judgment No. 905 of the Supreme People’s Court (2022)]
III. Dispute over the Abuse of a Dominant Market Position between Weihai Hongfu Real Estate Co., Ltd. and Weihai Municipal Water Affairs Group Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. 395 of 2022 rendered by the Supreme People’s Court]
IV. Trademark Infringement Dispute between Shanghai Wancuitang Catering Management Co., Ltd. and Wenjiang “Wu Apo” Green Sichuan Pepper Fish Hotpot Restaurant [Civil Judgment No. (2021) Chuang Zhi Min Zhong 2152 of the Sichuan Provincial Higher People’s Court]
V. Dispute over Unfair Competition between Beijing Baidu Netcom Science and Technology Co., Ltd. and Suzhou Shansu Tui Network Technology Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. (2021) Su 05 Min Chu 1480 of the Intermediate People’s Court of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province]
VI. Dispute over Infringement of the Right of Information Network Dissemination of Works between Shenzhen Qice Diechu Cultural Creative Co., Ltd. and Hangzhou Yuanyu Zhou Technology Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. (2022) Zhe 01 Min Zhong 5272 of the Intermediate People’s Court of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province]
VII. Case of Administrative Penalty and Administrative Review Dispute between Tewei Tea Catering Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., the Pudong New Area Intellectual Property Bureau of Shanghai, and the People’s Government of Pudong New Area, Shanghai [Administrative Judgment No. 1 of 2022 issued by the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court (Case No. (2022) Hu73 Xing Zhong)]
VIII. Dispute over the payment of provisional protection fees for new plant varieties between Jingyan Yinong (Shouguang) Seed Industry Technology Co., Ltd. and Xinjiang Changfeng Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. 24 of 2021 issued by the Hainan Free Trade Port Intellectual Property Court, Case No. Qiong73 Zhi Min Chu 24]
IX. Case of Unfair Competition Dispute between Shenzhen Tencent Computer System Co., Ltd. and Chenzhou Qixiao Network Technology Co., Ltd. et al. [Civil Judgment No. (2020) Jing 0108 Min Chu 8661 of the Haidian District People’s Court of Beijing]
X. Case of Luo Mouzhou, Ma Mouhua, and six others for the crime of counterfeiting a registered trademark [Criminal Ruling No. (2022) Yue 03 Xing Zhong 514 of the Intermediate People’s Court of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province]
50 Typical Intellectual Property Cases of Chinese Courts in 2022
I. Civil Cases Involving Intellectual Property
(1) Cases involving patent ownership and disputes over patent infringement
1. Xu Bin et al. v. Hebei Yidelili Rubber Products Co., Ltd. et al. dispute over infringement of patent rights [Supreme People’s Court Civil Judgment No. (2020) Sup. Ct. Zhi Min Zhong 1696]
2. Dispute over Infringement of Design Patent Rights between Beijing Kingsoft Security Software Co., Ltd. and Shanghai TouchPal Information Technology Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Chule Information Technology Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. (2019) Hu 73 Min Chu 399 of the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court]
(2) Cases involving infringement of trademark rights and disputes over trademark contracts
3. Case concerning infringement of trademark rights and unfair competition between Hailiang Education Management Group Co., Ltd., Hailiang Group Co., Ltd., et al., and Zhejiang Ronghuai Education Group Co., Ltd., Zhuji Ronghuai School [Civil Judgment No. 131 of 2022 issued by the Supreme People’s Court].
4. Case concerning infringement of trademark rights and unfair competition involving Delu Industry and Development Limited Partnership, Delu International Co., Ltd., Delu (Taicang) Furniture Technology Co., Ltd., Delu Furniture (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Delu Furniture (Nantong) Co., Ltd., and others [Civil Judgment No. 2636 of 2021 issued by the Jiangsu Provincial Higher People’s Court].
5. Case of trademark infringement involving the Jingshan City Grain Industry Association, Hubei Guobao Qiao Rice Co., Ltd., and Wuhan Shihu Zhiyin Grain & Oil Food Co., Ltd. [Hubei Provincial Higher People’s Court Civil Judgment No. (2022) E Zhi Min Zhong 483]
6. Case of Trademark Infringement and Unfair Competition between Cartier International Co., Ltd. and Mengjinyuan Gold & Jewelry Group Co., Ltd., Shandong Mengjinyuan Jewelry Co., Ltd., et al. [Tianjin Higher People’s Court Civil Judgment No. (2021) Jin Min Zhong No. 63]
7. Case of Trademark Infringement Dispute between Guangzhou Apo Catering Management Co., Ltd. and the Apo Home-Style Restaurant on Andong Street, Gaocheng District [Hebei Provincial Higher People’s Court Civil Judgment No. (2022) Ji Zhi Min Zhong 528]
8. Case concerning infringement of trademark rights and unfair competition involving Inner Mongolia Hengfeng Group Yinliang Flour Industry Co., Ltd. and Inner Mongolia Hengfeng Food Industry (Group) Co., Ltd., on the one hand, and Yihai Kerry Food Marketing Co., Ltd., Yihai Kerry (Shenyang) Grain and Oil Food Industry Co., Ltd., and the Hohhot Xing’an North Road Branch of Beijing Hualian Comprehensive Supermarket Co., Ltd., on the other hand [Civil Judgment No. 91 of 2021 issued by the Higher People’s Court of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region].
9. Dispute over Infringement of Trademark Rights between Shede Liquor Co., Ltd. and Liuwu Xinwangda Trading Co., Ltd. and Liu Xiaopei [Civil Judgment No. 5 of 2022, Tibet Autonomous Region Higher People’s Court (2022) Zang Zhi Min Zhong]
10. ROXTEC AB v. Shanghai Yibo Shipping Co., Ltd. Trademark Infringement Dispute Case [Civil Judgment No. (2021) Hu 73 Min Zhong 228 of the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court]
11. Dispute over infringement of trademark rights between Guangzhou Bio Cosmetics Co., Ltd. and Guangdong Bio-O International Cosmetics Co., Ltd. et al. [Civil Judgment No. (2020) Yue 73 Min Zhong 5237 of the Guangzhou Intellectual Property Court]
12. Dispute over the trademark licensing agreement between Shenyang Lion King Agricultural Co., Ltd. and Liaoning Shenfu Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. (2021) Liao 01 Min Chu 3346 of the Intermediate People’s Court of Shenyang, Liaoning Province]
13. Case concerning infringement of trademark rights and unfair competition involving Baidu Online Network Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing Baidu Netcom Science and Technology Co., Ltd., Guangxi Baidu Real Estate Brokerage Co., Ltd., and the Liuzhou Wuxing Branch of Guangxi Baidu Real Estate Brokerage Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. (2020) Gui 01 Min Chu 2718 issued by the Intermediate People’s Court of Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region]
(3) Cases involving copyright ownership and disputes over infringement of copyright
14. Zhang Xulong v. Beijing Modie Cultural Communication Co., Ltd., Cheng Lei, and Ma Yue — Dispute over Infringement of the Right of Information Network Dissemination of Works [Supreme People’s Court Civil Ruling No. 42 (2022) on Jurisdiction]
15. Dispute over Infringement of the Right of Information Network Dissemination of Works between Xi’an Jiayun She Digital Entertainment Distribution Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Xiaoming Enterprise Development Co., Ltd. [Beijing Higher People’s Court Civil Judgment No. (2022) Jing Min Zai No. 62]
16. Case of Dispute over Infringement of the Right of Information Network Dissemination of Works between Wang Haicheng, Wang Ping, and Wang Haiyan, on the one hand, and Gao Tianhe and Shanghai Kuanyu Digital Technology Co., Ltd., on the other hand [Civil Judgment No. (2021) Jin Min Zhong 246 of the Tianjin Higher People’s Court]
17. Case of copyright ownership and infringement dispute between Jiangxi Yiwei E‑Commerce Co., Ltd. and Xiamen Biaoqing Technology Co., Ltd. [Fujian Provincial Higher People’s Court Civil Judgment No. (2022) Min Min Zhong 879]
18. Case concerning the ownership of copyright and infringement disputes between Beijing Haojun Film & Television Media Co., Ltd. and Jilin Emperor Hotel Catering & Entertainment Management Co., Ltd.’s Jindi Chief Pure‑Song Karaoke Hall, and Jilin Emperor Hotel Catering & Entertainment Management Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. 339 (2022) of the Higher People’s Court of Jilin Province]
19. Rao Changjun v. Shenzhen Dabai Xing Shidai Culture Media Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Dabai Xing Network Video Yellow Pages Co., Ltd. copyright infringement dispute case [Guangdong Provincial Higher People’s Court Civil Judgment No. (2022) Yue Min Zai 346]
20. Case concerning the ownership and infringement of copyright between the China Audio-Video Copyright Collective Management Association and the Romantic Date Leisure Club in Yanghe Town, Yongning County [Civil Judgment No. 31 of 2022, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Higher People’s Court (2022) Ning Zhi Min Zhong].
21. Dispute over the infringement of the right of information network dissemination of works between Guangzhou Jia Yan Culture Communication Co., Ltd. and Beijing ByteDance Technology Co., Ltd. and Youjiu Media (Beijing) Limited Liability Company [Guangzhou Intellectual Property Court, Civil Judgment No. (2021) Yue 73 Min Zhong 5651]
22. Case concerning the ownership of copyright and infringement between Jingdezhen Yunhe Porcelain Culture Co., Ltd. and Jingdezhen Xigu Ceramic Culture Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. (2022) Gan 02 Min Zhong 171 of the Intermediate People’s Court of Jingdezhen City, Jiangxi Province]
(4) Cases of Unfair Competition Disputes
23. Dispute over Infringement of Trade Secrets between Sichuan Jinxiang Sairui Chemical Co., Ltd. and Shandong Hualu Hengsheng Chemical Co., Ltd. et al. [Civil Judgment No. (2022) Supreme People’s Court Zhi Min Zhong No. 541]
24. Dispute over infringement of trade secrets between Hebei Huasui Seed Industry Co., Ltd. and Wuwei Bosheng Seed Industry Limited Liability Company [Supreme People’s Court Civil Judgment No. 147 of 2022 (Supreme Fa Zhi Min Zhong) and Lanzhou Intermediate People’s Court of Gansu Province Civil Judgment No. 61 of 2020 (Gan 01 Zhi Min Chu)].
25. Dispute over unfair competition between Shenzhen Tencent Computer System Co., Ltd. and Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. on the one hand, and Hangzhou Baihao Technology Co., Ltd. and Hangzhou Guxin Culture & Art Co., Ltd. on the other (Civil Ruling No. Zhe Min Shen 5195 of 2022 issued by the Zhejiang Provincial Higher People’s Court).
26. Case of Commercial Disparagement Involving Hisense Visual Technology Co., Ltd. and TCL King Electrical Appliances (Huizhou) Co., Ltd. et al. [Civil Judgment No. 38 (2021) of the Shandong Provincial Higher People’s Court]
27. Dispute over unfair competition involving Harbin Qiulin Group Co., Ltd., Harbin Qiulin Food Co., Ltd., and Harbin Qiulin Lidaosi Food Co., Ltd. [Heilongjiang Provincial Higher People’s Court Civil Judgment No. (2022) Hei Min Zhong 236]
28. Dispute over unfair competition between Yunnan Hedao Kangcheng Information Technology Co., Ltd. and Dianyitong Medical Information Consulting (Yunnan) Co., Ltd., Dianyitong Internet Hospital (Yunnan) Co., Ltd., and Zou Dian [Civil Judgment No. 904 of 2022, Yunnan Provincial Higher People’s Court]
29. Dispute over unfair competition between China Communications University Bridge Technology (Xi’an) Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Zhongsuiqiao Corrugated Steel Web Co., Ltd., and Zhou Ya [Henan Provincial Higher People’s Court Civil Judgment No. (2021) Yu Zhi Min Zhong 665]
30. Dispute over infringement of trade secrets and false advertising involving Xi’an Sian Technology Information Co., Ltd., Xi’an Juyuan Power Automation Co., Ltd., Gao Yong, and Li Qiang [Civil Judgment No. 10 of 2022 (Shaanxi Intellectual Property Final Appeal) issued by the Shaanxi Provincial Higher People’s Court]
31. Dispute over unfair competition between Yantai Songli Agricultural Science and Technology Co., Ltd. and Shandong Wanlin New Ecology Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. 390 (2022) of the Shandong Provincial Higher People’s Court]
32. Dispute over unfair competition between Chongqing Tianquanxing Culture Media Co., Ltd. and You Caimei and Langweixian (Chongqing) Culture Media Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. 859 of 2022, Chongqing Higher People’s Court]
33. Case of Commercial Disparagement Dispute between Bazhou Wangzhong Network Technology Co., Ltd. and Emin County Xindatongchuang Bioengineering Limited Liability Company, and Yuan Yalan [Civil Judgment No. 81 (2022) of the Higher People’s Court of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region]
34. Dispute over unfair competition between Beijing Gubei Water Town Tourism Co., Ltd. and Beijing Xiaohao Technology Co., Ltd. [Beijing Intellectual Property Court, Civil Judgment No. (2021) Jing 73 Min Zhong 4553]
35. Dispute over unfair competition between Beijing Weibo Shijie Technology Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Liujie Information Technology Co., Ltd., Xiamen Ba Kuai Fumi Network Technology Co., Ltd., and Zhejiang Taobao Network Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. (2022) Zhe 01 Min Zhong 1203 of the Intermediate People’s Court of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province]
36. Dispute over unfair competition involving Shenzhen Tencent Computer System Co., Ltd., Tian Youyuan, Chengdu Xivi Digital Technology Co., Ltd., Jin Yaolin, and Lu Youjin [Civil Judgment No. (2021) Sichuan 01 Min Chu 10950 of the Intermediate People’s Court of Chengdu, Sichuan Province]
37. Dispute over Infringement of Trade Secrets between Shanxi Ruiyali Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Meng Jixiang, and Shenzhen Ruixiang Biotechnology Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. (2020) Jin 05 Min Chu 124 of the Intermediate People’s Court of Jincheng City, Shanxi Province]
38. Dispute over Infringement of Trade Secrets between Qinghai Jingzhen Urban Service Group Co., Ltd. and Qinghai Provincial Telecommunications Service Co., Ltd. [Civil Judgment No. (2022) Qing 01 Zhi Min Chu 141 of the Intermediate People’s Court of Xining City, Qinghai Province]
(5) Cases involving disputes over new plant varieties
39. Liu Guoxiang v. Anhui Lvyi Seed Industry Co., Ltd. and Hefei Fengmin Agricultural Science and Technology Co., Ltd. — Dispute over a Contract Concerning a New Plant Variety [Civil Judgment No. 25 of 2022, Hunan Provincial Higher People’s Court]
40. Dispute over infringement of plant variety rights between Denong Seed Industry Co., Ltd. and Anhui Jinpeiin Technology Co., Ltd., Anhui Huazhan Seed Industry Co., Ltd., Zhu Peng Agricultural Materials Store of Huangwan Town, Lingbi County, and Sijiu Agricultural Materials Business Department of Sishian County [Civil Judgment No. 4 (2020) of the Higher People’s Court of Anhui Province]
41. Case of Infringement of Plant Variety Rights and Unfair Competition between the Jiangsu Branch of China National Seed Group Co., Ltd. and Li Wangui [Civil Judgment No. (2022) Zhe 01 Zhi Min Chu 96 of the Intermediate People’s Court of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province]
II. Administrative Cases Involving Intellectual Property
42. Administrative dispute over a request for invalidation of a trademark involving Guangdong Haotaitai Technology Group Co., Ltd., the National Intellectual Property Administration, and Foshan Kaidaneng Enterprise Management Consulting Co., Ltd. [Administrative Judgment No. 3 of 2022 issued by the Supreme People’s Court (Supreme Court Administrative Re-trial)]
43. Case of administrative dispute concerning the request for invalidation of an invention patent between Qilu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Beijing Sihuan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and the National Intellectual Property Administration [Administrative Judgment No. 283 of 2021 issued by the Supreme People’s Court].
44. Administrative dispute over the request for invalidation of an invention patent between Changsha Huamei Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd. and the National Intellectual Property Administration, and Nanjing Shenghe Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. [Administrative Judgment No. 475 of 2020 issued by the Supreme People’s Court (2020) Sup. Ct. Zhi Xing Zhong]
45. Administrative dispute concerning the request for invalidation of an invention patent involving Apple Computer Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., the National Intellectual Property Administration, and Qualcomm Inc. [Administrative Judgment No. 1 of 2021 issued by the Supreme People’s Court (Supreme Court Zhi Xing Final No. 1)]
46. Nanjing Hengsheng Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. v. Nanjing Municipal Intellectual Property Bureau and Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH Patent Administrative Adjudication Dispute Case [Supreme People’s Court Administrative Judgment No. (2021) Supreme Law Zhi Xing Zhong 451; Nanjing Intermediate People’s Court of Jiangsu Province Administrative Judgment No. (2020) Su 01 Xing Chu 261]
47. Dispute over administrative penalty between the Second Branch of Chengshi Jewelry Business in Libo County and the Libo County Administration for Market Regulation [Administrative Judgment No. 309 (2022) of the Guizhou Provincial Higher People’s Court]
III. Criminal Cases Involving Intellectual Property
48. Case of Ren Mou’s Crime of Infringing Copyright [Criminal Judgment No. (2022) Jing 0106 Xing Chu 86 of the People’s Court of Fengtai District, Beijing]
49. Case of Ji Moumin and three others for the crime of infringing upon trade secrets [Criminal Judgment No. (2021) Hu 0115 Xing Chu 5190 of the People’s Court of Pudong New Area, Shanghai]
50. Case of Wang’s crime of counterfeiting a registered trademark [Criminal Judgment No. (2022) Su 0214 Xing Chu 579 of the People’s Court of Xinwu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province]

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage have jointly released typical cases of public-interest litigation on Great Wall protection.
The Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage have jointly released a selection of exemplary public-interest litigation cases related to the protection of the Great Wall, providing guidance to procuratorial organs and cultural heritage administrative departments at all levels to earnestly study and implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, thoroughly apply the important expositions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on cultural heritage work, further strengthen collaboration and coordination, and foster greater synergy in the protection of cultural relics and cultural heritage.
A total of five cases were released this time, namely: the administrative public interest litigation case filed by the Gansu Provincial People’s Procuratorate to urge the protection of the Great Wall; the civil public interest litigation case brought by the Baoding Municipal People’s Procuratorate in Hebei Province against a certain stone-processing company for infringing upon the historical appearance and ecological environment of the Great Wall; the administrative public interest litigation case initiated by the Shenmu Municipal People’s Procuratorate in Shaanxi Province to urge the protection of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall site; the administrative public interest litigation case launched by the Lingwu Municipal People’s Procuratorate in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to urge the protection of the Qingshuiying City Site; and the administrative public interest litigation case brought by the Datong County People’s Procuratorate in Xining City, Qinghai Province, to urge the protection of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall (Datong section).
According to the head of the Eighth Procuratorial Office of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the typical cases released cover a wide variety of Great Wall resources and diverse forms of public‑interest harm. The cases span provinces including Hebei, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, and Ningxia, encompassing sections of the Great Wall from multiple dynasties such as the Yan, Qin, and Ming. The damage ranges from structural issues—such as deteriorated wall segments, beacon towers, watchtowers, and fortified passes—to illegal construction within protected zones and development control areas, which undermine the Great Wall’s aesthetic integrity and the surrounding ecological environment. The offending parties include both legal entities engaging in unauthorized construction and administrative agencies that, in fulfilling their duties related to planning and resource protection, failed to adequately safeguard cultural relics, thereby causing harm. The released cases comprise both civil public‑interest litigation and administrative public‑interest litigation, leveraging various supervisory mechanisms under the public‑interest litigation framework to facilitate remediation. Moreover, efforts were made to strengthen long‑term mechanisms for ensuring the safety of cultural relics through case handling. In an administrative public‑interest lawsuit brought by the Gansu Provincial People’s Procuratorate to protect the Ming‑dynasty Great Wall, the procuratorial authorities, building on corrective measures, encouraged the Wuwei Municipal Government to establish the Wuwei Great Wall Cultural Protection Research Institute and set up Great Wall cultural protection stations in each county (district), dedicated to the preservation of the Great Wall. Additionally, the “Wuwei Municipal Regulations on Patrols and Inspections of the Great Wall” were promulgated to reinforce routine oversight.
Cultural heritage protection requires coordinated efforts across multiple stakeholders and the pooling of collective strengths, with continuous improvements to a system that features Party leadership, government accountability, interdepartmental collaboration, judicial safeguards, and public participation. According to an official from the Supervision Department of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, the agency will further deepen and refine the cooperation mechanisms between cultural heritage authorities and procuratorial organs, advance the refinement of the legal framework for cultural heritage protection, strengthen public awareness-raising on the rule of law in this field, adopt a problem‑oriented approach, address a number of pressing issues and longstanding legacy problems, and earnestly implement the “14th Five-Year Plan for Cultural Heritage Protection and Technological Innovation.”

Supreme People’s Court: The right of consumers who have paid the full purchase price for a commercial property to demand delivery of the property enjoys priority.
On April 20, the Supreme People’s Court issued the “Reply of the Supreme People’s Court on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Consumers Purchasing Commodity Housing.”
The Reply addresses the issues raised in the Henan Provincial High People’s Court’s “Request for Clarification on the Priority of Rights in Resolving Risks Associated with Real Estate Enterprises.” With respect to consumer protection, the Reply expressly provides that if a purchaser of commercial housing acquires the property for residential purposes and has paid the full purchase price, and asserts that their right to demand delivery of the property should take priority over the priority lien for construction project payments, mortgage rights, and other creditors’ claims, the court shall uphold such claim. Where a purchaser has paid only part of the price but has actually paid the remaining balance before the conclusion of the first-instance court debate, the provisions of the preceding paragraph shall apply. Furthermore, where the property cannot be delivered and there is no realistic possibility of delivery, if the consumer seeks to have their claim for the return of the purchase price accorded priority over the priority lien for construction project payments, mortgage rights, and other creditors’ claims, the court shall likewise uphold such claim.

The Pudong District People’s Court of Shanghai has released typical cases on judicial protection of intellectual property in the digital economy.
On April 20, the Pudong District People’s Court of Shanghai released a white paper on judicial protection of intellectual property in the digital economy, along with ten representative case studies.
This batch of typical cases covers various forms of infringement in the context of the digital economy, including the nation’s first criminal case involving copyright infringement through an online question bank for a technology‑related qualification exam, as well as the country’s first final judgment in an internet unfair competition dispute concerning app wake‑up strategies—both representing “firsts.” Among them, Case 5, the unfair competition dispute between Dianping and Baidu over data information, clarifies that when assessing whether a competitive practice involving the use of information is improper, one must comprehensively consider factors such as whether the information at issue possesses commercial value and can confer a competitive advantage to the operator; the legitimacy, ease of acquisition, and associated costs incurred by the party seeking relief; and the scope and manner in which competitors utilize the information.

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