due diligence

due diligence and qc

Due Diligence and QC are important. Contracts are Essential.

By AsiaBridge Law / November 19, 2021

Executive Summary: Initial productions runs in China are particularly challenging as there are so many unknowns. Distance and language complicate transparency.  This is the story of a US buyer who did everything right in terms of due diligence and quality control.  But for reasons beyond his control, the entire order was defective.  They had the…

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potential customer in china image

Can my Chinese supplier deliver to my potential customer in China?

By AsiaBridge Law / February 21, 2021

  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…

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NDA-VS-NNN

NDA vs NNN

By AsiaBridge Law / February 18, 2021

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 robust version of the traditional NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement)”.  Simply put, the NDA is a promise that “they won’t tell anybody outside their organization about the idea”.  The NNN adds more layers of…

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Cooperation with China Supplier

Setting the Right Tone for Cooperation with China Suppliers

By AsiaBridge Law / February 17, 2021

  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 tips to improve your cooperation with the China Supplier. For today’s blog post, I thought I would share four advanced, yet simple, tactics that I have used to ensure there…

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Factory Audits & Product Inspections

Quality Control: Factory Audits & Product Inspections

By AsiaBridge Law / February 15, 2021

  Audits and Inspections Overview In this post, you will find the standard factory audits and product inspections as an essential part of the quality control when sourcing products from China regardless of the order volume. Only a naïve, new-to-China buyers would ever make final payment without inspecting the order before it leaves China.  Some…

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A Simple Way to Negotiate Price

A Simple Way to Negotiate Price

By AsiaBridge Law / February 12, 2021

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 to negotiate price with the Chinese suppliers. Different industries have different margins, and even within the same industry, some suppliers quote high, some quote low. So, I am sorry to…

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China Project Management: A template for tracking who is doing what when & why

China Project Management Template: Who, What, When, & Why?

By AsiaBridge Law / February 9, 2021

  Even the most professional of project managers paired with intensive quality control will not be able to make a bad supplier great.  So, if you find the right supplier early on, you have put yourself on the right path and both project management and QC will be much easier. Related Content:  Supplier Selection &…

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Supplier Selection and Verification

Supplier Selection & Verification

By AsiaBridge Law / February 5, 2021

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 is not so easy to take this long list and narrow it down to the best one single supplier in all of China for your particular needs. Also, keep in…

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Realistic Clauses in the Bilingual Contract

Realistic clauses help you to get support from Chinese courts

By AsiaBridge Law / January 28, 2021

  Learn how realistic clauses helps you to get support from the Chinese court.  When your Chinese attorney drafts a bilingual contract for sourcing products in China, it is important to include how to address the imperative terms in the agreement when there’s a breach of contract happening. Here’s an example situation of how the…

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Hallmarks to Secure a Good Bilingual Contract in China

Hallmarks to Secure a Good Bilingual Contract in China

By AsiaBridge Law / January 15, 2021

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 contract is likely to increase confidence in the process as you are protecting your rights and needs. It is most certainly a way of ensuring both parties understand and agree…

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How do you know if your sourcing project is a good fit for China?

Would your sourcing project get past Mark Cuban’s feasibility audit?

By AsiaBridge Law / December 9, 2020

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: How and Where to Start” and in that article it gives information on how you familiarized the business law in China and the relevant operating requirements when starting a business…

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Middlemen Series -Bait and Switch Strategy

What is a bait and switch strategy in the China Sourcing context?

By AsiaBridge Law / December 5, 2020

  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 be explicit “We visit this factory; I want the production take place here at the location we visit.”  When we post about contracts as a next blog series soon, I’ll…

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Product Portfolio

Red Flag Alert: A Product Portfolio that makes Jeff Bezos jealous!

By AsiaBridge Law / December 1, 2020

Look at the product portfolio on the supplier’s website landing page.  They’ve got a snowmobile, Segway, jet skis, bicycles, motorcycles, and even more variety when you look deeper.  Come on!  Not even Mitsubishi, Sony, General Electric, Philips, and Ericson combined have this type of product portfolio. So something is very fishy here.   Most likely, it’s…

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Middlemen Series - Be explicit that there eventually may be a production location audit - Bait and Switch Strategy avoidance

Be explicit that there eventually may be a production location audit

By AsiaBridge Law / November 23, 2020

When speaking about a production location audit, it is assumed that the building and facilities, management staff, factory workers, production, warehouse and storage, quality, and product development are all covered on gathering good information. In China, factory audits are not a legal requirement but is required if you really want to manage the risks. Why…

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Why do the scam artists target small scale foreign buyers?

Why do the scam artists target small scale foreign buyers?

By AsiaBridge Law / November 16, 2020

Let’s talk about why the scam artists target the small scale foreign buyers.  It’s pretty simple. They’re easy to find. There’re so many buyers online: eBay power sellers, people that have a small eBay store, or some online store back home and they buy ten units of this, 20 units of that.  There’re so many…

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Factory ownership papers reduce the middlemen risk and fear!

Factory ownership papers reduce the middlemen risk and fear!

By AsiaBridge Law / November 12, 2020

Red Flag Assessment Don’t be afraid to ask for ownership papers for the factory.  If the factory has some excuse about why they can’t share with you who owns the factory or a business license, that’s a big red flag. They’re obviously trying to hide something. Example (ownership papers):   It may be awkward to go…

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Truth about sourcing famous brands in China, not all Apples are equal

Truth about sourcing famous brands in China, not all Apples are equal

By AsiaBridge Law / October 27, 2020

The truth about famous international brands. If it’s fashion or electronics, please realize two things. Various major brands including apple manufacture their goods in China as it is cheaper there. This may lead the buyer to think that one can get products at a cheaper rate from China but it is not true. China suppliers that…

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Straight to the Source! Are you talking with the factory owner? Avoid the Bait and Switch Strategy

Straight to the Source! Are you talking with the factory owner?

By AsiaBridge Law / October 20, 2020

How can you tell if you are talking with the factory owner? You want to go straight to the source to find out about the production of your products. You might ask him … “How many of your employees are from Hunan province?  How many from Sichuan?  How many from Guangdong?” The trading companies that…

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Small buyer, high risk & E-buyer beware! Don't fall into a scam trap!

Small buyer, high risk & E-buyer beware! Don’t fall into a scam trap!

By AsiaBridge Law / October 14, 2020

When is it likely that you will fall into a scam trap? You’re highly likely to fall into a scam trap if you meet the criteria as a small buyer or an e-buyer.  So if this describes you, be very careful. Two types of common buyers that fall into a scam trap: You’re a small…

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Focus on those factories that can clearly show production experience

Focus on those factories that can clearly show production experience

By AsiaBridge Law / October 9, 2020

  How do you know if a supplier has production experience? Focus on those factories that can clearly show production experience with your particular product or the production method.  When you ask “Show me some samples”, and it takes that factory weeks or months to get you some samples, it probably means that they don’t…

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What are the two types of Scams?

Be wary of these two types of scams when sourcing in China

By AsiaBridge Law / October 1, 2020

I’d like to share the various types of scams that you might possibly encounter if you are not vigilant. Even in this pandemic, other people might take advantage of the situation. This new series of blog articles will help you be aware and how to avoid these types of scams in China. Actually, China offers…

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China Supplier Contracts & Negotiations: PO vs Contract vs NDA - Part 1

China Supplier Contracts & Negotiations: PO vs Contract vs NDA – Part 1

By AsiaBridge Law / September 25, 2020

Are you researching how to set up a China Supplier Contracts?  Looking for strategies for the negotiations? In this article, I’d like to share some of the best practices and common pitfalls I have learned while spending 20 years living in Asia around dealing with China supplier contracts. You probably are clear on the concept…

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PPE Part 1: The dangers of buying PPE from “your guy’s” “China guy” Insider’s Guide: How to buy PPE from China during Covid-19 pandemic.

PPE Part 1: The dangers of buying PPE from “your guy’s” “China guy”

By AsiaBridge Law / June 14, 2020

Insider’s Guide: How to buy PPE from China during Covid-19 pandemic. A growing number of people are looking into buying PPE from China for supply as the world scrambles to source equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic. Introduction to our series on buying PPE from China during the Covid-19 pandemic. A growing number of buyers are…

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AsiaBridge Law - Engaging Lawyers in Asia | starting a business in china

How to Do Due Diligence on Chinese Suppliers?

By Mike / April 20, 2017

Often I’m asked about how to do due diligence on Chinese Suppliers and how to be sure it’s safe to do business in China. How do I know if it is it safe to do business with this supplier? Are there ways to tell if this seller is legit? Is it a good factory to…

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AsiaBridge Law - Engaging Lawyers in Asia | starting a business in china

4 Simple Ways to Protect yourself in the New Year

By Mike / January 6, 2014

It’s a new year and new scams are on the rise.  Make sure you’re prepared. An English speaking Chinese lawyer explains the best ways protect yourself in China Be sure to register your IP.  China recognizes IP if it’s registered in China and not if it’s on the market or already registered in your home…

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AsiaBridge Law - Engaging Lawyers in Asia | starting a business in china

Too good to be true, rings true, whether buying or selling in China

By Mike / June 19, 2013

  When I wrote blogs about protecting yourself while sourcing in China, I got a call from an overseas client who was trying to sell his wine to China.  He told me he would fly to China to sign a contract with his buyer.  The buyer approached the company selling in China and asked to…

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buyers beware of double diligence

Buyers Beware –Double Diligence

By Mike / March 22, 2013

Tip from an English Speaking Lawyer in China:  Buyer Beware! Double the Due Diligence when doing business in China! Fraud is always a concern when doing international business; but only sometimes does it actually reveal itself.  We say, double your diligence before you pay. A couple days ago, a buyer voiced a  complaint to me.…

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IPR

How to protect your IPR while doing business in China

By Mike / March 20, 2013

How can we protect our Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) effectively in China? Q&A with Sophie:  An English Speaking Lawyer in China One of my clients asked me a question today that I believe is a common concern, so I thought I should blog about it.   The following are are the key points from my…

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Due Diligence

Due Diligence on companies and transactions.

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