A Chinese e-commerce law went into effect January 1 and requires all online businesses to register with the government, and those that sell regulated products such as drugs must obtain a license.
The UK’s Autumn Budget leaves in place the UK’s low 19 percent corporate tax while vowing to tighten tax rules and crack down on online sales. This post addresses the main points of interest for corporations.
Last week, Australia and China unveiled a joint statement on cybersecurity. The agreement is a reminder that, in the words of Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, “the need for an open, free and secure internet goes far beyond economics.”
After years of negotiation, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a massive new trade agreement, was signed in February this year by 12 nations. If it is ratified — a big “if” — it will bring important economic benefits to member nations, which include the US, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Chile and Peru — but not China. At first glance, it may seem surprising that the world’s second-largest economy isn’t participating. But if you take a deeper look at the pact and its requirements, the reasons become clear. They also shed light on China’s ambitions and the other initiatives it is pursuing to support them, even as the future of the TPP itself becomes increasingly cloudy.