News & Articles

Some importers think of quality control as something that happens near the end of production. The goods are made, an inspector checks them, and the buyer hopes that any serious problems are found before shipment. However, that approach is risky. A final inspection can detect defects, but it usually […]

Trademark Squatters Are Coming for Your Supply Chain in Swarms Now For years, trademark squatters followed the same general script. They would identify a foreign brand that had not yet registered its trademark in China, the United States, or another key market. Then they would file first and wait. […]

In the previous episode, we looked at what changes between prototype and production. In this second part, Adrian and Paul focus on three common failure patterns that often appear after prototype approval: A component is swapped for a cheaper or more available alternative. Firmware is cleaned up […]

Sinosure Claims: Why Foreign Buyers Need More Than a Quick Consultation Why Sinosure Matters Are Different A Sinosure claim is not just an unpaid invoice. By the time most companies contact us, they have usually already lost ground they cannot easily recover. The setup looks simple: a Chinese […]

A prototype that works is encouraging. It proves that the concept is technically possible, gives the team something tangible to test, and often unlocks the next stage of investment or customer approval. But it does not prove that the product is ready for production. This is where many hardware […]

Enforcing U.S. Judgments in China: What Judgment Creditors Need to Know For years, the standard advice about enforcing U.S. judgments in China was simple: don’t bother. That advice is now outdated. It is still not easy or inexpensive to enforce a U.S. court judgment in China. And it is also far […]

It’s easy to focus on the unit price quoted by a supplier. After all, if the product cannot be made at the right cost, the project may not be commercially viable. However, there is another cost category that is often underestimated, especially when developing a new or customized product: […]

Many hardware product development projects do not fail because the idea is bad, the team is lazy, or the manufacturer is incapable. They fail because the project starts with too much missing information. At first, this may not seem serious. The team has a concept. There may be sketches, a rough […]

China Manufacturing Contracts: When One Agreement Is Not Enough A U.S. company recently called one of our international dispute resolution lawyers after receiving a message from its Chinese factory. Future orders, the factory said, would require a 34% price increase, effective immediately. The […]

China’s New Supply Chain Security Rules Raise the Risks for Foreign Companies On April 7, 2026, China turned supply chain decisions into national security decisions. The regulations took effect the same day. No transition period. These regulations, issued as State Council Order No. 834, give […]

We’ve seen some people treat a product launch as the end of the development process. In reality, it’s just the beginning. Once a product reaches real users, a new phase begins: unexpected issues arise, assumptions are challenged, and the way customers actually use the product often differs from […]

f you think China’s new trade secret rules mean you can rely less on contracts, you’re making a costly mistake. Laws don’t enforce themselves. Contracts still do the heavy lifting. The post China’s New Trade Secret Rules Do Not Replace China NNN Agreements appeared first on Harris Sliwoski […]

China NNN Agreements work when they deterChinese companies from misusing your IP. Here is when they help, when they do not, and how to draft one that will actually work. The post China NNN Agreements: The Hard Truth appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP.

International Litigation: Winning the Lawsuit Is Often the Easy Part Companies often go into international litigation asking the wrong first question: can we win? That matters, of course. But in many cross-border disputes, it is not the most important question. The more important question is […]

If you’ve ever taken a product from idea to mass production and it didn’t go smoothly, you’re not alone. In many cases, the root cause is the same: the New Product Introduction (NPI) process wasn’t properly followed. Not necessarily ignored, but rushed, incomplete, or misunderstood. […]

Moving production to Mexico is more than just a sourcing decision. It is a legal and operational rebuild. Companies that treat China/Mexico contracts, labor, IP, customs, and transition sequencing as afterthoughts often end up paying to fix avoidable mistakes. The post Moving Production to Mexico: […]

It’s not uncommon for companies manufacturing a new product to underestimate what it will actually cost when all’s said and done. They focus on the bill of materials (BOM), get a supplier quote, and assume they have a clear picture. But once the project moves forward, additional costs start […]

Many importers only think about product compliance when it’s time for testing. By then, the design is finished, suppliers are selected, and production may already be underway. If something fails, fixing it can mean redesigning the product, changing components, or delaying shipments; sometimes all […]

Your leverage is usually strongest before your China factory knows you are leaving and before your plans in the new country become obvious to everyone else. That window does not stay open for long. Once it closes, fixing trademark gaps, tooling problems, and bad contracts becomes slower, more […]

Some companies realize their developed product is too expensive and ask,
“How can we reduce the cost?” But in most cases, that’s the wrong question, and it comes too late. By the time you reach that stage, the product’s cost structure has already been largely defined by earlier design […]

Shenzhen has opened applications for the 2026 GBA IIT subsidy program. High-end foreign talent have until March 31 to apply for a rebate on the portion of IIT paid in excess of 15 percent of their taxable income.

On December 31, 2025, Trump signed a proclamation delaying the increase in tariffs on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities for another year.

China retains its position as Asia’s top manufacturing destination in 2026, supported by world-class infrastructure, innovation capability, and policy reforms. While challenges exist, China's scale and technological depth anchor its position.

China's sports medicine market is evolving into a key healthcare segment, supported by policy initiatives and demographic trends. Foreign investors have growing opportunities in devices, rehabilitation, and services.

The CAC now requires companies processing the personal information of minors in China to submit audit materials by January 31, 2026. Businesses must act quickly to comply with filing obligations.

The Asia Manufacturing Index 2026 reveals a more competitive regional landscape, with China leading and Malaysia rising to second place. Enhanced features provide deeper insights for strategic manufacturing and supply chain planning.

China’s data compliance regime is evolving rapidly, with trends pointing to tougher audits, coordinated enforcement, and refined cross-border rules. Foreign-invested enterprises must adopt proactive governance to stay competitive and compliant.

Understanding permanent establishment status is key to determining whether a non-resident company is liable to pay tax on income under China's network of double taxation agreements.

In this China Monthly Tax Brief for December 2025, we highlight key taxation developments relevant to businesses.

China’s ESG compliance framework moved from voluntary disclosure to enforceable obligations in 2025. Businesses face rising costs and governance requirements as carbon and reporting rules tighten.