China Business, Law & Sourcing Blog
The content found in this blog is intended to serve as general information about China law, business & sourcing; it is not legal advice nor intended as legal advice
Most Recent China Business Blog Posts
Dealing with Defective and Non-conforming Goods in China
In this blog post, let’s talk about where the quality and contracts meet. Based on my 20 years’ experience in China, I’ll share with you some tips on dealing with defect and non-conforming goods in China. Situation: If you’re buying something so simple like a commodity, you’re buying Mickey Mouse watches that haven’t changed in five years. You would assume that the factory is going to get it right but if you’re taking that Mickey Mouse watch and you’re adding…
How to Make the Contract Officially Binding in China?
In the previous post, I covered how to get the supplier to respect the contract and if penalty clauses in supplier contracts actually work. Now, in the article below, I will be sharing some tips and practices on how to make the contract officially binding in China. Many parts of Asia, including China, the “Chop” (an ink stamp) not a hand signature, represents the company and is legally binding. It doesn’t matter who the hand is that attaches the chop, …
How to Get The Supplier to Respect The Contract?
Do you have the right terms in place in your China contracts? Perhaps you are wondering if the supplier will respect the contract? In this blog post I will share some tips based 20 year’s of experience, living in China, getting suppliers to respect my contracts. Tips and Best Practices: Get the Chinese Supplier to Respect the Contract The 50 page “watertight” contract that your lawyer back home created for you based on your country’s laws may not be suitable…
The Bad, The Ugly, and The Good When It Comes to Agents and Middlemen
Today, I just want to be a little bit better-rounded and explain that sometimes the agents are very good but sometimes they’re the root cause of problems. In this blog post, I’d like to share about the bad, the ugly, and the good when it comes to agents and middlemen Bad, Ugly, and The Good When It Comes To Agents and Middlemen First off, some of the agents and brokers are what I would call an “opportunistic broker”, meaning they…
Older China Business Blog Posts
2 Main Problems When Buying at the Wholesale or Retail Level
Whether you’re buying at the wholesale or retail level, the main problem is two-fold: stability of the supplier & stability of the supplier’s supplier! What are the two main problems when buying at the wholesale or retail level? The seller can be here today, gone tomorrow. The other problem is that both at the wholesale and especially retailer level, the supply chain isn’t stable. They might have a relationship with…
Finding The Right Supplier in China
Today’s blog post is about finding the right supplier and finding the “right supplier” is a different process for different industries and order sizes. It really comes down to knowing where to look for them. That article will explain how to find the right supplier for your particular needs. Factory direct vs. Asia direct Let’s look at buyers based on their order size and the type of products they wish…
Contracts in China: Q&A with an English-Speaking Chinese Lawyer
In this blog post, our Chinese lawyer answers some of the more common questions about contracts and their enforcement in China. Answers are provided for general reference and are given in a straightforward format, without the “Chinglish” or “Legalese” that you may come across when dealing with other lawyers in China. China Contract: Overcoming Language Barriers and Finding English-Speaking Chinese Lawyers Western lawyers aren’t allowed to practice in…
China Court Cases: Q&A with an English-Speaking Chinese Lawyer
In this blog post, our Chinese lawyer answers some of the more common questions about legal procedures and court cases in China Answers are provided for general reference and are given in a straightforward format, without the “Chinglish” or “Legalese” that you may encounter when dealing with other lawyers in China. Introduction to the Q&A with English-Speaking Chinese Lawyers Can a foreign person or foreign company sue a Chinese…
English Speaking Lawyer China: Maximizing Trademark Application in China (Part 2)
What business assets can be protected with a TM application in China? Introduction to the Q&A with English-Speaking Chinese Lawyers In this blog post, our Chinese lawyer answers some of the more common questions about legal procedures and court cases in China. The answers are provided for general reference and are given in a straightforward format, without the “Chinglish” or “Legalese” that you may encounter when dealing with other attorneys…
3 Common Mistakes with Trademarks in China
What are the 3 most common mistakes made when registering a TM in China? Common Mistake #1: Not realizing you can save money by combining all elements into a single image file and make a single TM application! An image file, called a “specimen”, is used in the TM application. Provide your China lawyer with as many of the following item as possible, as they may be able to…
English Speaking Chinese Lawyer: Intellectual Property Q&A – Part 1
English Speaking Chinese Lawyers: Introduction to this series of blog posts Western lawyers aren’t allowed to practice in China. Chinese lawyers fluent in English are hard to find and expensive. AsiaBridge Law carefully screens, trains and coordinates a network of local lawyers across Asia. Lawyers are selected for the right mix of professionalism, honesty and affordability. AsiaBridge Law paralegals coordinate local lawyers on behalf of the AsiaBridge Law clients while providing…
Can my Chinese supplier deliver to my potential customer in China?
Let’s say you have developed a great supplier in China that ships affordable products, on time at the agreed quality level. You are aware that the Chinese domestic market is full of potential customers. If you want to explore the opportunity to leverage your Chinese supply chain to capture China-based customers, then this article is for you! Here is a typical email I received last week from…
Defining “competitor” when drafting an NNN agreement in China
NDA = Non-Disclosure Agreement NNN= Non-disclosure, Non-compete, Non-circumvention How to define “competition” under the NNN agreement? In a recent blog post we explained why the NDA does not offer enough protection when buying from China. A key element of a robust NNN is wording that prohibits the supplier from doing business with the buyer’s competitors. Sometimes the suppliers are hesitant to sign the non-competition clauses of the NNN…
Most Popular China Business Blog Posts
How to Source Safely from China: 4 Key Steps
For today’s blog post, let talk about the important topic of safe sourcing from China. By far, the single most frequently asked question I get…
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NDA vs NNN
NDA vs NNN. What’s the difference? Which is better when buying from China? Short Answer: NNN stands for “Non-disclosure, Non-compete, Non-circumvention” and is a more…
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Setting the Right Tone for Cooperation with China Suppliers
Many foreign buyers have struggled with their cooperation with the China supplier. If you are among them, you’ve probably looking for a guide or…
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Quality Control: Factory Audits & Product Inspections
Audits and Inspections Overview In this post, you will find the standard factory audits and product inspections as an essential part of the quality…
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A Simple Way to Negotiate Price
If you are looking for advice or guide on negotiating price in China, in this blog post, I will share with you a simple way…
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China Project Management Template: Who, What, When, & Why?
Even the most professional of project managers paired with intensive quality control will not be able to make a bad supplier great. So, if…
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Supplier Selection & Verification
Thanks to online directories like Alibaba and Global Sources, it is pretty easy to come up with a long list of potential suppliers. But it…
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Realistic clauses help you to get support from Chinese courts
Learn how realistic clauses helps you to get support from the Chinese court. When your Chinese attorney drafts a bilingual contract for sourcing products…
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Why Should I Retain a Chinese Law Firm?
There are many benefits when you retain a Chinese law firm. Often times having boots on the ground is indispensable. Whether you are operating within…
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Hallmarks to Secure a Good Bilingual Contract in China
There’s really no excuse for not having a bilingual contract in China and these are the hallmarks of a good contract. Preparing a quality bilingual…
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Would your sourcing project get past Mark Cuban’s feasibility audit?
How do you know if your sourcing project is a good fit for China? Last month, I posted an article “Starting a Business in China:…
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What is a bait and switch strategy in the China Sourcing context?
The bait and switch strategy does happen, whether you’re dealing with the trading company or sometimes even with the manufacturer themselves. You need to…
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