CHINA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW NEWSLETTER
Vol. 2, No. 6 -April 10, 2001
CALL FOR FOREIGN ASSOCIATES TO REPRESENT CHINESE COMPANIES
INTA Annual Meeting 2001
May 5-9 - San Francisco |
Lehman, Lee & Xu will be hosting a delegation of Chinese brand owners to the INTA conference. These companies, which include China's premier multinational corporations, represent the first group of Chinese brand owners that have joined the association. These companies have asked Lehman, Lee & Xu to coordinate their overseas IP work. We, in turn, would like to hear from IP counsel from countries in Europe, North and South America, and elsewhere that would like to be considered for representation of these Chinese companies. Interested parties should send email to Edward Lehman at mail@chinalaw.cc to set up a meeting in San Francisco. |
TOPICS THIS ISSUE:
- Shanghai Getting Tough on Unregistered Websites
- Notice Curbs the Dissemination of Radio and TV Through the Internet
- China Post to Enhance its E-Commerce Operations
- China Top 100 Electronics and Information Companies
- NetEase and MasterCard to Make E-commerce Pay
- Ericsson Wins US $400 Million GSM, Mulitservice and IP Backbone Contract
- China's Central Bank to Promote E-Banking
- Better Legislation on E-commerce Demanded
Shanghai Getting Tough on Unregistered Websites
The Regulations on the Management of Internet Information Services enacted last September require commercial Internet information service providers (IISPs) to obtain business licenses and non-commercial IISPs to register before commencing their activities on the Internet. In Shanghai, more than 600 IISPs have complied with these requirements by obtaining a business license or website registration.
Last March, the Shanghai Bureau of Telecommunications, the Internet Information Department of the Shanghai Municipal Information Office, and the Shanghai Press and Publications Bureau jointly inspected a number of Shanghai-based websites. 80-95% percent of these randomly selected website operators were found to have properly reported their activities or obtained a business license. Those who have not complied with the law will be punished and may be shut down.
This was the first time the governmental authorities have enforced the Regulations on the Management of Internet Information Services.
(Source: China Online, March 20, 2001)
Notice Curbs the Dissemination of Radio and TV Through the Internet
The Shanghai Administration of Radio, Film and Television has issued a notice that requires all radio, film or television content to be reviewed for approval before being disseminated through the Internet or any other information network. Radio and television news programs must have been produced by State-approved domestic radio or TV stations. Programs from foreign television and information networks are banned. The notice also sets content restrictions.
(Source: China Online, March 26, 2001)
China Post to Enhance its E-Commerce Operations
China Post will adopt a series of measures this year to speed up the development of e-post. The measures include upgrading the postal computer banking network and initiating an electronic remittance business. The move indicates that China Post is taking hold of the opportunities arising from the burgeoning new economy and is striving to become a major player in e-commerce.
In March last year, China Post announced that it would enter the area of e-commerce by setting up a comprehensive e-post network that includes an information platform, an e-banking system, and a logistics network.
China Post has advantages in developing e-commerce, with its network of banking cards "green cards," and a traditional mailing network. It will build an ISP connection system in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong this year and extend the e-business from Beijing to other large cities across the country.
(Source: Xinhua News Agency)
China Top 100 Electronics and Information Companies
The Ministry of Information Industry announced a list of the top 100 electronics and information enterprises of 2001. These enterprises contributed 76 percent of the industry's total sales last year. Their business income totaled RMB 444.2 billion (about US $55.5 billion) in 2000, while the top 10 accounted for 40 percent of the entire industry's business income.
The list was lead by China Post and Telecommunications Industry Corporation (PTIC), with its annual business profits reaching RMB 46.5 billion. The Haier Corporation, China's leading electronic appliance maker, and Legend Corporation, last year's champion, followed PTIC.
The ministry ranked the top 100 based on their annual business income for the previous year. Almost 75 companies of the top 100 this year produce computer or telecommunications-related products, such as software, computers and integrated circuits.
(Source: Xinhua News Agency)
NetEase and MasterCard to Make E-commerce Pay
The lack of a secure and effective payment system through the Internet hampers the development of e-commerce in China. To overcome this problem, NetEase, MasterCard International China, Acer and HiTRUST have partnered up to offer a complete e-commerce payment system for NetEase Website users. MasterCard aims to become the market leader in the Asia Pacific region for virtual payment systems. HiTRUST will play a crucial role in providing Internet security infrastructure.
NetEase is one of China's leading Internet technology companies that offers, through its affiliates, a wide range of services to the Net Community. This includes auction and online mall technology services, which provide opportunities for e-commerce and traditional businesses to establish an online e-commerce presence. MasterCard offers payment solutions in 210 countries and has more than 20,000 participating financial institutions. Taiwan-based Acer Group is the world's third-largest PC manufacturer. HiTRUST.COM has been jointly set up by Acer Group and a number of other leading companies. It provides security infrastructure services, such as secure authentication services and secure B2B and N2B2C e commerce infrastructure provisions.
(Source: Business Wire)
Ericsson Wins US $400 Million GSM, Mulitservice and IP Backbone Contract
Ericsson signed a series of contracts with a combined value of more than US $400 for GSM and Mulitservice network projects, including IP backbone construction. The projects are located in Beijing, Shandong, Hebei and Yunnan and will be carried out with Chinese partners. Ericsson's major joint venture companies in China will deliver all related systems and equipment.
Ericsson's China operations have over 4000 employees in 24 offices and 10 Joint Ventures. Its partners in the planned projects are Shandong Mobile, Hebei Mobile, Hubei Mobile, Jiangsu Mobile, Chingqing Mobile, Xinjinag Mobile, Yunnan Unicom, China Telecom, Shandong Telecom and Liaoning Telecom.
(Source: Business Wire)
China's Central Bank to Promote E-Banking
The central bank is adopting active measures to support the development of electronic banking. It is organizing commercial banks to study issues concerning finance on the Internet and e- commerce.
The central bank has set up three special researching teams to study e-commerce, e-banking and the inter-link of e-banking of domestic commercial banks. Related administrative procedures will be drafted by the teams.
The central bank will also reinforce cooperation with both domestic and overseas high-tech and e-commerce service industries in a bid to steadily promote China's e-commerce development and contribute to China's economic development. Over the past few years, on-line financial services have been developing fairly fast in China. However, compared with developed countries, the development is still on a low level.
The traditional financial legal framework needs to be adapted to suit the new demand of e-banking services. To ensure the healthy development of e-banking services, it is necessary to formulate and revise financial laws and administrative procedures.
(Source: Xinhua News Agency)
Better Legislation on E-commerce Demanded
At the Fifth China International Electronic Commerce Summit, Li Shishi, Deputy Director of the State Council's Legislative Affairs Office, said that different from the traditional face-to-face commercial mode, electronic commerce has no territorial limits, which is also a challenge for judicial bodies.
Many countries in the world are now focusing on formulating laws and regulations on electronic contracts, affirmation of identities, assurance of payment, security of trade and settlement of disputes, Li said.
China has already adopted more than 30 laws and regulations related to the Internet. She is now making more efforts to improve its existing legal system on e-commerce standardization, Li said. Legal experts pointed out that the legislation should pay more attention to the needs of common consumers.
(Source: Xinhua News Service)
Lehman Lee & Xu
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Suite 188, Beijing International Club
21 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Beijing 100020 China
Tel.: (86)(10) 6532-3861
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The China Information Technology Law Newsletter is intended to be used for news purposes only. It should not be taken as comprehensive legal advice, and Lehman, Lee & Xu will not be held responsible for any such reliance on its contents.
