A Guide to Doing BUSINESS IN HONG KONG Contents Introduction Hong Kong at a Glance 1 Political System 1 Legal System 1 Economic System 1 Investment Incentives 1 Financial System 1 International Relationships 1 Relationship with the PRC 2 Belt and Road Initiative 2 General Data Protection Regulation 2 Business Vehicles Types of Business Vehicle 5 Business Registration 5 Special Types of Business 5 Hong Kong Companies 5 Incorporation of a Private Limited Company 5 Branch Operations 7 Reasons for Choosing a Branch or Subsidiary 7 Representative Offices 8 Sole Proprietorships/General Partnershi
In the recent case Re CW Advanced Technologies Limited, the Hong Kong court took the opportunity, albeit only obiter dicta, to raise and briefly comment on certain unresolved questions surrounding three issues of interest to insolvency practitioners:
- Introduction
- Recent case
- Court's obiter comments
- Comment
Introduction
Re The Joint Liquidators of Supreme Tycoon Limited (in liquidation in the British Virgin Islands) (08/02/2018, HCMP833/2017), [2018] HKCFI 277
The Hong Kong Court of First Instance considered whether an insolvent liquidation, commenced by the shareholder of a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, was eligible for common law recognition in Hong Kong.
Recent developments
The Hong Kong court in Re The Joint Liquidators of Supreme Tycoon Limited (in liquidation in the British Virgin Islands) (08/02/2018, HCMP833/2017), [2018] HKCFI 277 ("Re Supreme Tycoon") has, for the first time, granted recognition and assistance to foreign liquidators appointed in a creditors' voluntary winding-up.
The Hong Kong court in Re The Joint Liquidators of Supreme Tycoon Limited (in liquidation in the British Virgin Islands) (08/02/2018, HCMP833/2017), [2018] HKCFI 277 (“Re Supreme Tycoon”) has, for the first time, granted recognition and assistance to foreign liquidators appointed in a creditors’ voluntary winding-up.
In the first instance decision of Fo Shan Shi Shun De Qu Consonancy Investment Co Ltd v Yat Kit Jong [2017] HKEC 557, the Court took a dim view of a party's conduct in respect of expert directions. It held that the party's failure to properly define the scope of the issues to be covered by the expert was a violation of procedural rules and prejudicial to the opposing party, and as such ordered that the party be penalised on costs.
Facts
The Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Ordinance 2016 (the "Amendment Ordinance") came into effect on 13 February 2017 seeking to revamp and modernize the winding-up regime in Hong Kong, but does it go far enough?
Hong Kong’s notoriously landlord-friendly leases make it hard to renegotiate terms during an economic downturn, tying many tenants into leases well above market values. The territory’s high rents, added to 24 months of declining retail sales, have left retailers in Hong Kong feeling the chill. Many tenants may wish to look beyond their contractual rights and obligations to find a commercial solution. In such difficult circumstances, there are six options retailers could consider.
1. Rent restructure