Category Archives: Corporation

Introduction on the Regulations concerning the Capital Contribution in IPR or Domain Name in China

Highlight: The contribution of capital in IPR or domain name is permitted by China Company Law, though there regulates the proportion limitation on it. Bridge IP Commentary will introduce you the regulations of the investment in IPR.

Recently, a Company registered in Shanghai made its contribution of the 70% of the total registered capital of the company with domain name, which has been evaluated to be RMB 10 million yuan, and it has been the first company which made its capital contribution in domain name.

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Will International Software Company Benefit from China’s New VAT Policy?

— the interpretation on the preferential policy of value-added tax

Recently, the Notice on the Policy of Value-added Tax of Software Product (the “Policy”) was jointly issued by the Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation of P.R.C., which shall back cover any VAT after 2011.1.1. The stock market reacts positively to the new policy.

However, as far as Bridge IP Commentary knows，the Policy is just the continuation of the past regulations, which include the Policies for the Development of the Software & Integrated Circuit Industries issued in 2000 (the “Policy in 2000”) and the Notice of Policies for Further Development of the Software and Integrated Circuit Industries released in first half of 2011 (the “Notice”). Even so, the introduction of the Policy once again shows the ambition of China government to boost the software industry. And the following is the interpretation on the Policy from Bridge IP Commentary:

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Could Tmall Beat Back the Attack with the Aid of Police?

                   —Analysis on the Possible Legal Countermeasures against Attack on Tmall

Highlights: Tmall is facing the attack from its small merchants for the dissatisfaction on the ons side increase on the annual fee. We would like to analyze the possible legal measure Tmall may take to combat such attack.

Recently, many merchants of Tmall, a subsidiary of the biggest China e-commerce company Alibaba Group, attacked the big merchants on that platform for the upsetting on the higher annual fee with a flood of fake orders and regulatory products return leading to the cripple of the brand sites.

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What’s behind Gucci’s elegance?

                       —Gucci faces the allegations of sweatshop

Highlights: Gucci is claimed to maltreat its employees in China, which even leads to miscarriage of pregnant workers, thus not only impedes Italian luxury brand the expansion in China, but also brings the arbitration and demands for huge compensation.

Gucci, the luxury giant, recently becomes the subject of criticism for it being claimed by former employees of Shenzhen flag-store to be a sweatshop, and the maltreating includes overtime work without fair compensation, unethical treatment for pregnant workers, double compensation for stolen goods, etc. (News related)

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China Begins to Try Out Intellectual Property Pledge System

Highlight：China’s new policy on intellectual property pledge，which will help startup firms in technology or creative industries but increase the risks for the banks.

For more innovation and settlement on fund shortages with startups in the technology and creation industry, the Guidance on Financial Support on Revitalization and Development of Culture Industry was issued on 19th March, 2010, by which the collaboration is established between the government of China and more loans to support with company culture is also demanded.

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More than 1 Trillion of Software Revenues in First 8 Months 2011

The China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (“MIIT”) released the economic statistics on software industry of first 8 months in 2011 on 26th September, 2011, which shows that the revenues of China software industry has totaled 1.112 trillion Yuan（1 USD equivalent of 6.5 RMB）by the end of August, with a year-on-year growth of 30.5%.

From January to August, the revenues of information consulting service and data processing & operation service has respectively achieved 103.2 and 150.1 billion Yuan, basing on a year-on-year raise of 38.5% and 35.7%. Furthermore, such revenues were up to 23% of the software industry revenues, 3 percentage points higher than that of the same period in 2010.

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Can Pandora Legally Operate in China?

Highlights: To introduce the legal restrictions on foreign companies to invest in service of operating online music in China and the practical ways that multinationals provide local online music services in China. 

As recent news says, the streaming subscription music website Pandora (NYSE:P) will enter into P.R. China, and is head-hunting a capable CEO. However, Pandora’s online music service by China laws shall be categorized as telecom value-added service as well as internet culture service. Though the foreign investment in telecom value-added service is legally permitted, the internet culture service remains banned.

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The Untimely Chinese Labor Contract Law

     ——Layoff Difficulty of Nokia, Groupon and Ku6, the influence of untimely and inappropriate regulations in Labor Contract law

Highlights: The untimely and inappropriate regulations on layoffs in Labor Contract Law fails to meet the current development demands of the company, the legal obstacle deteriorates competitiveness of the company and limits company’s desires on employment.

Recently, four Chinese companies met difficulties due to cuts were brought to our attention.  Gaopeng.com, a Chinese deal-of-the-day website jointly invested by Groupon.com and Tencent (SEHK 700), started mass layoff, which raised a concerns and protestations from its employees; someone even chose the suit for the dissatisfaction on the compensation. Shortly after that, Nokia (NASDAQ: NOK) and Nokia Siemens Networks were also doubted due to  its illegal layoff procedure. And what’s more, the earlier layoff of KU6 (NASDAQ:KUTV) led to physical aggression and outbursts.

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