At the end of February 2009, the legislative institution in Beijing promulgated the revised insurance law of People’s Republic of China. This new insurance law will be enforced in October 2009.

When the first insurance law was promulgated in 1995, the Chinese insurance market was largely monopolized, controlled by one state-owned insurer. In regard to public opinion, most Chinese considered insurance as something novel. Today, although far from mature, the Chinese insurance market is too large to neglect. For example, the market is composed of 100 insurance companies and over 2000 intermediate insurance companies, including domestic companies, subsidiaries of foreign companies and joint ventures.

Continue Reading The New PRC Insurance Law – Improvement and Limitation

Today afternoon, just twenty minutes ago, Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) promulgated its decision regarding the concentration between The Coca-Cola Company and China Huiyuan Juice Group Limited, which prohibited this acquisition. This prohibition decision is the first prohibition decision issued by MOFCOM since the enforcement of Chinese Anti-monopoly Law (AML).
On September 3, 2008, The Coca-Cola Company announced its intention to make cash offers to purchase China Huiyuan Juice Group Limited; a Hong Kong listed company which owns the Huiyuan juice business throughout China.
 

 

Continue Reading The Prohibition Decision Regarding M&A between Coca-Cola and Huiyuan

The People’s Republic of China acceded to the New York Convention on April 22nd,1987,declaring it would reserve the rights of "reciprocity reservation" and "commercial reservation"
 

The "reciprocity reservation" means China will apply the Convention only for the recognition and enforcement of awards.
 

Continue Reading China, International Arbitration and the New York Convention

The development and history of health insurance in China, it is not a simple story.For many years, the Chinese medical service has been controlled by state-owned hospitals; private hospitals and pharmacies could not compete with the public medical system. As a result, the majority of citizens received their medical service through the public system and the need for health insurance products was extremely limited. Even many years after the promulgation of the Chinese Insurance Law, China lacked formal health insurance products.

After 2000, health insurance became popularized in the Chinese insurance market. The popularity was due to the reform of the medical system; which required the majority of city residents and those in the countryside to afford medical costs by themselves. Hence a demand and need for health insurance arrived in short time. 

Continue Reading Health Insurance and Health Care in China

Recently it was reported in the financial news that the China Insurance Regulatory Commission of the State Council (CIRC) had allocated RMB200 billion to carry out a pilot investment program for funds held by insurance companies. The RMB200 billion has been equally invested across infrastructure projects and other equity investments.

 

Continue Reading Insurance Funds in China Expand toward Equity Investments

At the beginning of November, Mr. Xi Xiaoming, the Vice Chief Justice of the Chinese Supreme Court, informed the media at a press conference that the Chinese Supreme Court would initiate the drafting of judicial explanations to compliment the Chinese Anti-monopoly Law (AML). Before such formal expression, another Justice in the No.3 Civil Division of the Chinese Supreme Court publicly stated plaintiffs may file civil AML cases directly, bypassing the wait for administrative decisions.

Continue Reading The Positive Attitude of Chinese Courts toward AML Enforcement

1) Effective Resolution of Domestic and International Disputes

I can attest to CIETAC’s ability to effectively resolve domestic as well as complex international disputes. CIETAC has a long history, with its first arbitration rules being promulgated in 1956 with the last revisions effective as of May 1, 2005. It provides rules similar to those of many other international arbitral institutions and carefully records qualified domestic and international arbitrators. International arbitrators may be selected as language does not pose a problem, thus the types of commercial disputes which go before CIETAC are not limited. In addition, the cost of resolving disputes at CIETAC is likely to be less than in Hong Kong and many other arbitral forums.
 

Continue Reading Quickly, Some Advantage of CIETAC Arbitration in China

With foreign investors testing ingenious ways in which to circumvent the regulatory burdens and scrutiny associated with a foreign owned Chinese insurance company, an interesting question has come to light; is it possible for an insurance policy between a domestic insurer and a Chinese manufacture to have a foreign element. The foundation of this question is rooted in the uncertainty surrounding the enforcement and validity of an arbitration clause designating a foreign jurisdiction for a case which is purely domestic (China).

Article 304 of the Opinions of the Supreme People’s Court on Some Issues Concerning the Application of the Civil Procedure Law of the People’s Republic of China (Opinions of the Supreme Court on the Application of the Civil Procedure Law) states:
 

Continue Reading A Domestic Insurer, A Chinese Manufacture, A Foreign Element?

Within China’s emerging legal system the question of whether an extended warranty (extended service contract ) will be subject to increased regulation under the Insurance law of China remains unanswered.

For those who are interested in undertaking a venture of this nature within the Chinese market the answer is of fundamental importance. From an entrepreneurial stance, treating the contract as a non-insurance contract will optimize business efficacy, allowing potential investors ease of market access. It would not appear practical to subject such contracts to the rigors of insurance law. On the contrary, Consumer advocates often propose and lobby for such contractual agreements to be subject to the extensive regulation surrounding insurance contracts in order to protect consumer welfare. The basis of these arguments is premised upon an extended warranty being in the interest of the contracting company and not the consumer. Such groups often argue extended warranties (extended service contract) are simply an additional mean in which to profit from an existing product.
 

Continue Reading Are Extended Warranties/Extended Service Contract Considered Insurance?

China’s Anti-monopoly Law was promulgated on August 30th 2008.  Although the legislation is constantly developing, experts have forecasted an urgent need for those willing to act as Chinese Anti-monopoly lawyers.  The need for Chinese Anti-monopoly lawyers stems from the intense concerns expressed by multi-national corporations.  These corporations fear harsh penalties, restrictions on business practices and complex regulatory burdens under the new regime.  Considering these fears, sound advice provided by a Chinese Anti-monopoly lawyer is of the utmost importance.

Continue Reading A vital need for Chinese Anti-monopoly lawyers