JC Master Legal News Issue 1210

Key Takeaways for This Issue

China has taken the lead in revising and publishing two international standards for financial industry messaging.

Recently, the International Organization for Standardization published “Financial Services — Generic Financial Industry Message Scheme — Part 5: Conceptual Interoperability and Reverse Engineering” and “Financial Services — Generic Financial Industry Message Scheme — Part 7: Registration.”

The State Council has promulgated the “Regulations of the State Council on Outbound Investment.”

On June 1, 2026, the State Council promulgated the Regulations of the State Council on Outbound Investment.

Nine departments have issued a document to promote the creation of research assistant positions and boost graduate employment.

On June 1, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and eight other departments jointly issued the “Notice from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Eight Other Departments on Effectively Developing Research Assistant Positions to Promote Employment of College Graduates.”

Finance and Capital Markets

FINANCE & CAPITAL MARKETS

China has taken the lead in revising and publishing two international standards for financial industry messaging.

Recently, the International Organization for Standardization published “Financial Services — Generic Financial Industry Message Scheme — Part 5: Conceptual Interoperability and Reverse Engineering” and “Financial Services — Generic Financial Industry Message Scheme — Part 7: Registration.”

Both standards are outcomes of the ISO 20022 framework’s revision process. Part 5, focusing on conceptual interoperability and reverse engineering, updates application programming interfaces, data types, and syntax‑generation rules, while enhancing the ability to convert between and interconnect different messaging standards through the establishment of conversion interfaces. Part 7 centers on the registration mechanism, strengthening version traceability, clarifying the entities responsible for registration services, optimizing technical support channels, reducing data‑integration issues arising from version inconsistencies, and facilitating banks’ and payment institutions’ access to the standards framework.

Business and Corporations

COMMERCIAL & CORPORATE

The State Council has promulgated the “Regulations of the State Council on Outbound Investment.”

On June 1, 2026, the State Council promulgated the Regulations of the State Council on Outbound Investment.

The Regulations comprise 34 articles and shall enter into force on July 1, 2026. They apply to activities in which investors within China directly or indirectly acquire equity interests, assets, or other related rights in enterprises or assets located in other countries or regions, with investment management concerning Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan of China being governed by analogous provisions. The document establishes a comprehensive, tiered regulatory framework covering the entire lifecycle of outbound investments, requiring compliance with procedures such as approval and filing, information reporting, and cross-border capital registration. It further stipulates that relevant departments under the State Council shall formulate, revise, and implement policies on outbound investment, while providing guidance and oversight over investment and business operations. In addition, it sets up systems for overseas integrated services, monitoring and early warning, risk assessment, investigation of investment barriers, and dispute resolution.

The State Administration for Market Regulation has launched a plan to develop and revise 401 national metrological technical specifications.

Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation launched a program to develop and revise 401 national metrological technical specifications.

This initiative encompasses the development of 346 new standards, covering areas such as general metrology management, carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, digital transformation, advanced measurement, ecological environment, and life and health. In the realm of general metrology management, work has been launched on drafting or revising standards including “General Metrological Terms and Definitions” and “General Requirements for Carbon Measurement in Zero‑Carbon Factories.” On the front of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, 18 standard‑setting projects have been initiated, such as specifications for the equipping and management of greenhouse gas emission measuring instruments in enterprises, spanning industries including petrochemicals, steel, aviation, textile printing and dyeing, construction, and transportation. In the area of digital transformation, 15 projects have been launched, including metrological evaluation of software performance testing tools and credibility assessments of electronic water meter software. Meanwhile, a dissemination and implementation program has been rolled out for 83 key metrological technical standards, covering thermal gas meters, heat meters, fuel dispensers, and other critical instruments.

The State Administration for Market Regulation has adjusted the implementation requirements for CCC certification of products such as portable power banks.

Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the National Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA) issued the “Announcement on Adding New Standards as Basis for Mandatory Product Certification of Portable Power Banks and Other Products, and on the Release of Revised Implementation Rules.”

The Announcement adds GB 47372—2026, “Safety Technical Specification for Portable Power Banks,” as the basis for CCC certification, strengthening testing of key safety indicators such as thermal abuse and nail penetration. At the same time, a new version of the CCC Certification Implementation Rules has been revised and issued, refining requirements for manufacturers’ quality assurance capabilities and product conformity management, implementing categorized supervision, and enhancing post‑certification oversight. The document specifies that a transition period will run until March 31, 2027, during which certification bodies may conduct certification under either the new or the old rules; full implementation of the new rules will take effect on April 1, 2027. Certified portable power banks, along with the lithium‑ion batteries and battery packs used internally, must complete certificate conversion by April 1, 2027.

Nine departments have issued a document to promote the creation of research assistant positions and boost graduate employment.

On June 1, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and eight other departments jointly issued the “Notice from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Eight Other Departments on Effectively Developing Research Assistant Positions to Promote Employment of College Graduates.”

The Notice clarifies that research assistant positions shall be created through the National Key R&D Program, National Major Science and Technology Projects, the National Natural Science Foundation, and various major innovation platforms, with priority given to filling vacant posts by recruiting college graduates. It also calls on national high-tech zones, agricultural high-tech zones, and the research institutions and technology enterprises within these zones to establish such positions, with implementation status serving as a reference in the annual comprehensive evaluation of national high-tech zones. The document stipulates that employing units must enter into service agreements in accordance with the law, and that “labor costs” under research project funding, along with any surplus funds retained as prescribed, may be used to cover research assistant remuneration and social insurance subsidies, among other expenses.

Five departments have issued the Trial Guidelines for Accounting Non-Fossil Energy Electricity Consumption.

On June 1, the National Development and Reform Commission and four other departments released the “Guidelines for Accounting Non-Fossil Energy Electricity Consumption (Trial).”

The Guidelines shall be implemented on a trial basis from the date of their issuance and apply to the accounting of non‑fossil‑energy electricity consumption for 2026 and subsequent years. The document specifies three types of attribution methods—physical attribution, transaction‑based attribution, and apportionment attribution—distinguishes between the attribution rules for renewable energy electricity and nuclear power, and establishes upper limits for transaction‑based attribution at the provincial, prefectural, and electricity‑user levels. Accounting is conducted at three tiers—provincial administrative regions, prefectural administrative regions, and electricity users—using respective measurement bases such as generation output, transaction‑attributed volume, and apportioned share. The document also delineates the responsibilities of the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Energy Administration, provincial energy authorities, green‑certificate issuers, electricity‑trading institutions, and grid enterprises with respect to data collection, information disclosure, and the publication of apportionment coefficients.

Litigation and Arbitration

LITIGATION & ARBITRATION

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate has released the “White Paper on Procuratorial Work Involving Minors (2025).”

On June 1, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate released the “White Paper on Procuratorial Work Involving Minors (2025).”

The white paper outlines juvenile prosecution work for 2025 across six key areas. Data show that 91,573 minors were accepted for review and prosecution, a 9.8% year-on-year decrease, with theft, affray, rape, and four other categories of offenses accounting for 76.7% of cases. The number of juvenile suspects aged 14 to 16 fell by 13.4% compared with the previous year, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate approved prosecution in 24 cases involving serious violent crimes committed by individuals aged 12 but under 14. In terms of crimes harming minors, 56,338 individuals were approved for arrest and 72,807 were prosecuted, down 1.4% and 2.2%, respectively, year on year. Prosecutions for sexual assault totaled 42,873, a 5.5% decline from the previous year. Nationwide, more than 2,600 “one-stop” case-handling facilities have been established, and over 100,000 victims have undergone “single‑time” questioning.

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate has issued a set of typical cases to strengthen judicial assistance for children in difficult circumstances.

Recently, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate issued a set of typical cases on strengthening judicial assistance for children in difficult circumstances.

This batch of typical cases comprises 10 instances, focusing on the key challenges, cutting-edge innovations, and institutional framework development in judicial assistance for children in difficult circumstances. The cases cover orphans, children who are de facto without parental care, minors who have suffered physical and psychological harm due to guardianship violations, and minor children of victims in criminal cases. These cases exemplify models such as “supporting prosecution plus judicial assistance,” systematically identifying potential assistance leads during stages like arrest review and prosecution review. Furthermore, through mechanisms including information sharing, referral of leads, coordinated assistance, and joint follow-up visits, they promote interagency collaboration among civil affairs, education, women’s federations, health commissions, public security organs, and organizations for persons with disabilities.

The Supreme People’s Court and three other departments have issued the Guidelines on Education and Guidance for Minors’ Ideological and Behavioral Development.

Recently, the Supreme People’s Court, the Ministry of Education, the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, and the All-China Women’s Federation jointly issued the “Guidelines on Strengthening Ideological and Behavioral Education and Guidance for Minors Based on Case Studies.”

The Guidelines address the ideological and behavioral risks and potential hazards in minors’ development, outlining twelve key areas for education and guidance. These include strengthening awareness of the rule of law, cultivating moral character, reinforcing a sense of rules and regulations, fostering a sound attitude toward consumption, promoting prudent social relationships, correcting distorted “cool‑seeking” mindsets and excessive preoccupation with “saving face,” nurturing healthy sexual values, helping to manage negative emotions, enhancing conflict‑resolution skills, resisting internet addiction, and staying away from drugs and psychotropic substances.

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate has issued standards for the quality and efficiency of reviewing arrests and reviewing prosecutions.

Recently, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate released the “Standards for the Quality and Efficiency of Arrest Review by People’s Procuratorates (Trial)” and the “Standards for the Quality and Efficiency of Prosecution Review by People’s Procuratorates (Trial).”

The “Standards for the Quality and Efficiency of Arrest Review by People’s Procuratorates (Trial)” comprises four chapters and 38 articles, covering general requirements, quality and efficiency standards for arrest cases, quality and efficiency standards for non-arrest cases, and supplementary provisions. Centered on the statutory conditions for arrest and the corresponding evaluation criteria, it elaborates on the application of circumstances warranting non-arrest, refines substantive and procedural norms, strengthens the coordination and mutual checks between arrest and prosecution, and establishes thresholds for substandard or unsatisfactory performance. The “Standards for the Quality and Efficiency of Prosecution Review by People’s Procuratorates (Trial)” likewise consists of four chapters and 40 articles, integrating the quality and efficiency standards for both prosecution and non-prosecution into a single document. It sets forth evaluation criteria pertaining to case disposition outcomes, prosecutorial prerequisites, procedural legality, fulfillment of review obligations, case-handling efficiency, and overall effectiveness, with each criterion assigned three levels: satisfactory, substandard, and unsatisfactory.