The case has caused a stir. Norwegian researchers drove a Chinese electric bus operated by Oslo’s public transit agency, Ruter, into a mine to cut off its wireless connection to the outside world. Nevertheless, the bus continued to attempt to send data back to its home base. The test revealed that the Chinese Yutong bus… Continue reading Norway’s Warning About Chinese Electric Vehicles
Your Brands Must Be Visible to AI
Chinese AI models such as Alibaba’s Qwen, DeepSeek, and ByteDance’s Doubao are transforming e-commerce—and with it, the conditions for European brands in China. Product search, recommendations, customer service, marketing, and livestreaming are increasingly driven by AI. As a result, brand visibility is being influenced more and more by algorithms. This is particularly evident at Alibaba.… Continue reading Your Brands Must Be Visible to AI
China’s New Trademark Law
On June 26, 2026, China enacted a comprehensive revision of its Trademark Law, which will take effect on January 1, 2027. This marks a significant shift in policy: In the future, the focus will no longer be solely on registration, but increasingly on the actual use of a trademark and the applicant’s good faith. Trademark… Continue reading China’s New Trademark Law
Extraterritorial Legal Claims
The case involving the Chinese security firm Nuctech illustrates the extent to which extraterritorial legal claims are increasingly shaping global trade. Under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), the EU is investigating potential competition-distorting Chinese subsidies and is demanding extensive information on financing and state support. Beijing reacted sharply and, for the first time, officially prohibited… Continue reading Extraterritorial Legal Claims
Digital Product Passport and Live Shopping Blacklist
With the new Guiding Opinions on Improving the Quality of Products and Services on Online Trading Platforms, China has tightened the rules for e-commerce. The document marks a shift away from purely volume-driven growth and a transition toward a quality-oriented strategy for online commerce. This results in new requirements for European brands and exporters in… Continue reading Digital Product Passport and Live Shopping Blacklist
Cybersecurity: Tightening of Reporting Requirements
China is once again tightening regulatory requirements for companies operating in the digital space. The National Measures for the Management of Cybersecurity Incident Reporting took effect on November 1, 2025, and clarify the obligations set forth in the CSL, DSL, and PIPL. This further tightens the compliance regime for companies doing business in China. At… Continue reading Cybersecurity: Tightening of Reporting Requirements
Data in the 15th Five-Year Plan
The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026 – 2030) marks a strategic reorientation in the handling of data. While the economic use of data and the creation of value from it continue to be specifically promoted, data security is simultaneously defined as a fundamental prerequisite for stability. As a result, data is being given greater economic value… Continue reading Data in the 15th Five-Year Plan
Combating cybercrime infrastructure
China is responding to the increasing professionalization and industrialization of digital crime. The country is planning a new law that will target not only individual crimes, but the entire infrastructure behind cybercrime. The background to this is that many digital crimes today are organized through complex structures based on the division of labor. These range… Continue reading Combating cybercrime infrastructure
Stricter requirements for AI patents
Revised patent examination guidelines have come into force in China, significantly tightening the requirements for inventions in the field of artificial intelligence. They make it clear that technical innovation is no longer sufficient for patenting. In the future, patentable AI solutions must also be legally permissible, ethically acceptable, and technically transparent. Examiners place particular emphasis… Continue reading Stricter requirements for AI patents
Stricter requirements for cybersecurity
Since January 1, 2026, stricter requirements have been in force in China under the Cybersecurity Law (CSL). The changes significantly expand the regulatory framework and increase compliance pressure in the areas of cybersecurity, data protection, and AI governance, particularly for foreign companies with ties to China. The key point is the expanded extraterritorial application. While… Continue reading Stricter requirements for cybersecurity
