Throughout the global economic meltdown, the number of bankruptcy cases in China has risen considerably. To shed light on bankruptcy proceedings and stabilize the domestic economy, the Supreme People’s Court of the PRC issued Opinions on Several Issues Regarding the Proper Adjudication of Enterprise Bankruptcy Cases to Provide a Judicial Safeguard for Maintaining Order in the Market Economy on June 12, 2009. The Opinions direct courts at all levels to properly apply the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law (EBL) to assist insolvent enterprises, maintain market order, and stabilize the economy.
On December 29, 2008, the State Administration for Taxation (SAT) and the Ministry of Finance (MOF) jointly promulgated the Circular on Several Deed Tax Policies Concerning Enterprise Reorganization and Restructuring, (Cai Shui (2008) 175, Circular 175). Circular 175 took effect on January 1, 2009, and will be effective through December 31, 2011.
On October 21, 2008, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission of the PRC (CIRC) issued the Circular on Implementing the Administrative Provisions on the Solvency of Insurance Companies which went into effect on the same day. The Administrative Provisions on the Solvency of Insurance Companies, which the Circular intends to implement, replaced the 2003 Provisions for the Administration of the Insurance Company Solvency Quota and Regulatory Indices (the 2003 Provisions). The 2003 Provisions did not prioritize solvency issues.
Preferred maritime liens can raise challenging issues during maritime disputes—especially during bankruptcy. Creditors may encounter problems when filing for seizure due to their unique nature, with venue is becoming a determining factor.
A new cooperation arrangement for mutual recognition of and assistance to cross-border corporate insolvency and debt restructuring proceedings has been established between Mainland China and Hong Kong (the Cooperation Arrangement).
The Cooperation Arrangement is provided in a Record of Meeting on Mutual Recognition of and Assistance to Bankruptcy (Insolvency) proceedings between the Courts of the Mainland and of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the ROM) signed by the Mainland’s Supreme People's Court (SPC) and Hong Kong’s Department of Justice on 14 May 2021.
Since China opened its doors to foreign investors around forty years ago, it has been a top recipient for international direct investments. Despite the gradual slowdown of the country’s overall economic growth, foreign interest in China continues to be strong. After a slight decline in 2016, foreign direct investment increased again by 3% to US$134.97 billion in 2018.
A mandatory bid (or a mandatory general offer obligation) ("GO Obligation") will be triggered if a controlling block in a listed company ("Controlling Block") changes hands.
The chain principle summarised
The bankruptcy of Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. ("Suntech") is a reminder of the challenges that foreign creditors face when a Chinese company goes into bankruptcy.
The Judicial Committee of the Supreme People’s Court has passed a notice regarding overdue fines on unpaid taxes of a bankrupt enterprise. This came into effect on 12 July 2012.
An insolvency administrator has been sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment for obtaining RMB1.3 million in bribes. Huang Zhicong (“Huang”), former vice-president of Building Materials Corporation in Shaoguan City of Guangdong Province, was the insolvency administrator of Shaoguan New Sunlight Textile Enterprise Co., Ltd. (“New Sunlight”).