China
Guangdong’s Recipe for Happiness: Fewer People, More Sex
The bedroom has become the latest target in a campaign to make “happiness” keep up with unbridled economic growth in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, with a senior local official pledging to improve the sex lives of singletons. “There will not be a happy Guangdong without local residents having happy sex lives,” the state-run China Daily quoted Zhang Feng, deputy secretary-general of the Guangdong provincial government, as saying on the eve of national Singles Day on Friday (so designated because the date is 11/11/11). More than 20% of single people suffered from a feeling of sexual repression in Guangdong — China’s richest and most populous province — according to Mr. Zhang, who is also director of Guangdong’s family-planning commission and chairman of the Guangdong Sexology Association. Statistics from the family-planning commission show that, on average, Chinese people are now getting married at the age of 30, compared with 20 about a decade ago, but are also attaining sexual maturity at an earlier age, the China Daily said. “That indicates the Chinese have more years as sexually mature singles,” Mr. Zhang was quoted as saying. He also called for better sex education, urging relevant departments to offer more help to migrant workers who were “suffering severe sexual repression as they had to live away from their spouses.” The report did not offer explicit details concerning how Mr. Zhang planned to encourage the province’s residents to step up their sexual activity. The proposal is the latest manifestation of a ”happy Guangdong” campaign, which aims to focus government efforts on improving public services and other quality-of-life issues, rather than just promoting breakneck GDP growth. In July, Guangdong made headlines when it became the first Chinese province to publicly apply for permission to ease the “one-child” policy, which imposes fines and other penalties on most — though not all — urban couples who have more than one child. Local authorities asked the central government to allow couples in which either the husband or wife was an only child to have more than one baby. At the time, Mr. Zhang was quoted in state media saying the relaxation wouldn’t cause a fast increase in the population because of the high cost of natal care and child rearing. However, Mr. Zhang was quoted in state media last month saying Guangdong had now dropped that application and didn’t plan any significant changes to its family-planning policies in the next five years. He said that the family-planning policy had relieved the province of an extra 35 million people, without explaining how that figure was calculated. He also said that Guangdong had set a target of keeping its population — 104.3 million according to the latest census last year — below 111 million through 2015. The abrupt turnaround will come as a disappointment to leading Chinese demographers who have been urging the government for years to ease the one-child policy, which they say is leading China toward a demographic crisis over the next two decades . They argue that China’s real fertility rate has fallen well below official estimates and that, as a result, the labor force will start to shrink by 2016, while the number of retired people will balloon, placing a huge financial burden on the state and the working population. The national Familiy Planning Commission, however, has so far allowed only small pilot schemes in certain small regions, and committed only to “strengthen” the family planing policy over the next five years, while keeping the birth rate low, and improving the “quality” of the population. – Jeremy Page
The bedroom has become the latest target in a campaign to make “happiness” keep up with unbridled economic growth in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, with a senior local official pledging to improve the sex lives of singletons. “There will not be a happy Guangdong without local residents having happy sex lives,” the state-run China Daily quoted Zhang Feng, deputy secretary-general of the Guangdong provincial government, as saying on the eve of national Singles Day on Friday (so designated because the date is 11/11/11). More than 20% of single people suffered from a feeling of sexual repression in Guangdong — China’s richest and most populous province — according to Mr. Zhang, who is also director of Guangdong’s family-planning commission and chairman of the Guangdong Sexology Association. Statistics from the family-planning commission show that, on average, Chinese people are now getting married at the age of 30, compared with 20 about a decade ago, but are also attaining sexual maturity at an earlier age, the China Daily said. “That indicates the Chinese have more years as sexually mature singles,” Mr. Zhang was quoted as saying. He also called for better sex education, urging relevant departments to offer more help to migrant workers who were “suffering severe sexual repression as they had to live away from their spouses.” The report did not offer explicit details concerning how Mr. Zhang planned to encourage the province’s residents to step up their sexual activity. The proposal is the latest manifestation of a ”happy Guangdong” campaign, which aims to focus government efforts on improving public services and other quality-of-life issues, rather than just promoting breakneck GDP growth. In July, Guangdong made headlines when it became the first Chinese province to publicly apply for permission to ease the “one-child” policy, which imposes fines and other penalties on most — though not all — urban couples who have more than one child. Local authorities asked the central government to allow couples in which either the husband or wife was an only child to have more than one baby. At the time, Mr. Zhang was quoted in state media saying the relaxation wouldn’t cause a fast increase in the population because of the high cost of natal care and child rearing. However, Mr. Zhang was quoted in state media last month saying Guangdong had now dropped that application and didn’t plan any significant changes to its family-planning policies in the next five years. He said that the family-planning policy had relieved the province of an extra 35 million people, without explaining how that figure was calculated. He also said that Guangdong had set a target of keeping its population — 104.3 million according to the latest census last year — below 111 million through 2015. The abrupt turnaround will come as a disappointment to leading Chinese demographers who have been urging the government for years to ease the one-child policy, which they say is leading China toward a demographic crisis over the next two decades . They argue that China’s real fertility rate has fallen well below official estimates and that, as a result, the labor force will start to shrink by 2016, while the number of retired people will balloon, placing a huge financial burden on the state and the working population. The national Familiy Planning Commission, however, has so far allowed only small pilot schemes in certain small regions, and committed only to “strengthen” the family planing policy over the next five years, while keeping the birth rate low, and improving the “quality” of the population. – Jeremy Page
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Guangdong’s Recipe for Happiness: Fewer People, More Sex
The New Company Law brings substantial changes with implications for new and existing foreign invested enterprises and stakeholders. Foreign investors must assess if adjustments to existing structures
Despite recent economic challenges, many organizations’ China operations provide unparalleled access to one of the world’s largest and most competitive global supply chains. Over the past 30 years, a significant number of foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) have been established in China. As of the end of 2022, the number of FIEs operating in China had exceeded 1.12 million.
Compared to their domestic counterparts, FIEs demonstrate greater caution regarding legal revisions and are diligent in making swift adjustments. This stems not only from the closer scrutiny FIEs face from regulatory authorities but also from their commitment to compliance and maintaining a competitive edge.
Clearly, there has been a shift in China’s corporate regulations—from merely encouraging an increase in the number of companies to focusing on attracting mature enterprises and higher-quality investments. While the transition from a broad approach to a more refined one may cause short-term challenges, it ultimately benefits the company’s long-term development. By returning to the original intent of setting registered capital, it not only protects the interests of creditors but also shields shareholders from the operational risks of the company.
In China’s foreign investment landscape, while most FIEs exercise commercial prudence in determining registered capital—factoring in capital expenditures, operational costs, and setting aside surplus funds—some opt for higher registered capital levels to avoid future capital increase procedures. This typically involves lengthy document signing and registration changes, lasting 1-2 months.
Joint ventures (JVs) often impose stricter payment deadlines for registered capital in their articles of association to ensure both parties’ simultaneous contributions align with operational needs. Conversely, wholly foreign-owned enterprises (WFOEs) tend to favor flexibility in payment deadlines, often allowing full payment before the company’s operational period expires.
Given these circumstances, despite the generally stronger capital adequacy among foreign companies compared to domestic entities, many FIEs could be affected by the new capital contribution rules.
This article is republished from China Briefing. Read the rest of the original article.
China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at china@dezshira.com.
China
Foreign Tourist Groups on Cruise Ships Fully Permitted Visa-Free Entry in China
China will allow visa-free entry for foreign tourist groups arriving by cruise ship at 13 ports along the coast, starting May 15, 2024. Visitors must stay with the same ship and in permitted areas for up to 15 days. This policy aims to boost tourism and facilitate high-quality development in the cruise industry.
China’s immigration agency announced that it will grant a visa-free policy for foreign tourist groups to enter China by cruise at all cruise ports along the coast of China, starting May 15, 2024. The tourist group must remain with the same cruise ship until its next port of call and stay within permitted areas for no more than 15 days.
Effective May 15, 2024, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) has officially implemented a visa-free policy for foreign tourist groups entering China via cruise ships. This progressive move aims to enhance personnel exchanges and foster cooperation between China and other nations, furthering the country’s commitment to high-level openness.
Under this policy, foreign tourist groups, comprising two or more individuals, who travel by cruise ship and are organized by Chinese domestic travel agencies, can now enjoy visa-free entry as a cohesive group at cruise ports in 13 cities along the Chinese coast.
The tourist group must remain with the same cruise ship until its next port of call and stay within China for no more than 15 days. The eligible areas for this policy are coastal provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and Beijing.
Furthermore, to support cruise tourism development, seven additional cruise ports—Dalian, Lianyungang, Wenzhou, Zhoushan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Beihai—have been included as applicable ports for visa-free transit.
The recent implementation of the visa-free policy for foreign tourist groups entering China via cruise ships is poised to have several significant effects. The policy will provide crucial support for the cruise economy and the overall cruise industry. By facilitating smoother travel for foreign tourist groups, it acts as a catalyst for high-quality development in this sector.
Additionally, under this policy, international cruise companies can strategically plan their global routes by designating Chinese port cities, such as Shanghai, Xiamen, and Shenzhen, as docking destinations. This move is expected to attract more cruise ships to Chinese ports, ultimately bringing in a larger number of international visitors to the Chinese market.
This article is republished from China Briefing. Read the rest of the original article.
China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at china@dezshira.com.
China
China’s New Tariff Law: Streamlining and Standardizing Current Tariff Regulations
China’s new Tariff Law consolidates import and export duties, clarifies rules for imposing counter-tariffs, and sets a December 1, 2024 effective date. It codifies existing practices on cross-border e-commerce and rules on the origin of goods into law, impacting trade relations.
China’s new Tariff Law consolidates rules on import and export duties that were previously implemented via several legal documents and makes important clarifications and additions to prior regulations. Among other changes, it stipulates provisions for the Chinese government to impose counter-tariffs on imported goods, codifying these powers into law for the first time. We outline all the notable updates to the China Tariff Law and discuss the implications for the country’ current trade relations.
On April 26, 2024, the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s legislature, adopted the Tariff Law of the People’s Republic of China (the “Tariff Law”) after several rounds of revisions.
The new Tariff Law will replace the Import and Export Tariff Regulations of the People’s Republic of China, which fall under the purview of the State Council, and adopts many of its provisions.
Previously, Chinese law had not stipulated legislative powers to implement countervailing tariffs, although China was nonetheless able to impose counter-tariffs on trade partners through other means.
China’s new Tariff Law comes into effect on December 1, 2024.
China’s Tariff Law elevates several existing provisions and practices to the level of law. For instance, Article 3 of the Tariff Law clarifies the obligations of cross-border e-commerce platforms for tariff withholding and implementing consolidated taxation.
The Tariff Law also solidifies the rules and regulations on the origin of goods, stipulating that the application of tariff rates shall comply with the corresponding rules of origin. Although this has been previously implemented in practice, it is the first time this has been codified into law.
This article is republished from China Briefing. Read the rest of the original article.
China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at china@dezshira.com.
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- Foreign Tourist Groups on Cruise Ships Fully Permitted Visa-Free Entry in China
- China’s New Tariff Law: Streamlining and Standardizing Current Tariff Regulations
- Outlook on Bilateral Trade and Investment between China and United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- 2024 Tax Incentives for Manufacturing Companies in China
- Exploring the Revamped China Certified Emission Reduction (CCER) Program: Potential Benefits for International Businesses
