Find useful legal information for your business in China!

Response to American Law Firms Freezing Online Store Accounts

Response to American Law Firms Freezing Online Store Accounts

Recently, multiple U.S. law firms have filed applications with U.S. courts for Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs)and even Preliminary Injunctions (PIs) to freeze international e-commerce merchants’ Amazon and other online platform accounts, or to abuse platform rules to remove merchants’ listings. These actions have resulted in severe losses such as business suspension and frozen funds. International e-commerce merchants areRead more about Response to American Law Firms Freezing Online Store Accounts[…]

Standard NDA

Standard NDA

The Discloser wishes to keep its information confidential as agreed by this document and the Recipient agrees to use the confidential information in the manner and condition allowed as per this Agreement

158.My contract stipulates that my wages include non-competition allowance. Is such provision legal?

158.My contract stipulates that my wages include non-competition allowance. Is such provision legal?

Answer: Article 23 of Employment Contract Law provides that “Employees who are subject to a confidentiality obligation may agree to a non-competition clause with their employer in their employment contract or confidentiality agreement. The employer may also agree to provide the employee with monthly allowance during the non-competition period after the employment contract is terminatedRead more about 158.My contract stipulates that my wages include non-competition allowance. Is such provision legal?[…]

159.Can I cancel the non-competition agreement?

159.Can I cancel the non-competition agreement?

Answer: The judicial interpretation of the Supreme People’s Court on labor disputes in 2020 stipulates that employer can pay three months of non-competition allowance to relieve the employee’s non-competition obligation. According to Article 38 of the judicial interpretation, an employee can only notify the employer to terminate the non-competition agreement when the employer has notRead more about 159.Can I cancel the non-competition agreement?[…]

160.The non-competition penalty stipulated in my non-competition agreement is 5 million. Is this provision binding?

160.The non-competition penalty stipulated in my non-competition agreement is 5 million. Is this provision binding?

Answer: Above all, an employee who bears obligation of non-competition but violated the obligation ought to assume the liability of breach of contract. Secondly, if the employee’s non-competition agreement stipulates a high amount of liquidated damages, whether the liquidated damages are binding depends on the following factors: the amount of the employee’s non-competition allowance, theRead more about 160.The non-competition penalty stipulated in my non-competition agreement is 5 million. Is this provision binding?[…]

161.Some Thoughts on the Reform of the Legal System Framework of China’s Trade Secrets regarding Customer Information

161.Some Thoughts on the Reform of the Legal System Framework of China’s Trade Secrets regarding Customer Information

Answer: At present, there are fundamental defects in the legal framework of trade secrets in China. They are mainly manifested in the liability for trade secret infringement concerning customer information. The Chinese legal system regards trade secrets as a kind of property right, granting them indefinite protection as long as the trade secret remains confidential.Read more about 161.Some Thoughts on the Reform of the Legal System Framework of China’s Trade Secrets regarding Customer Information[…]

138.How do employers protect their trade secrets?

138.How do employers protect their trade secrets?

Answer: Infringement of an company’s trade secrets by an employee on or off the job not only violates the employee’s professional ethics under employment law, but also violates civil and even criminal laws. Trade secrets are certain information that needs protection. Two conditions must be met to determine that the employee’s behavior constitutes infringement ofRead more about 138.How do employers protect their trade secrets?[…]

139.What is the difference between trade secrets and non-competition?

139.What is the difference between trade secrets and non-competition?

Answer: Non-competition is a restriction stipulated by an employer, prohibiting its employees from engaging in specific competitive work (including by self-employment or employment) either during or after their employment. The employee’s access to the employer’s trade secrets is the first prerequisite for both parties to agree upon that the employee undertakes the obligation of non-competition.Read more about 139.What is the difference between trade secrets and non-competition?[…]

140.What kind of information is a trade secret?

140.What kind of information is a trade secret?

Answer: Trade secrets are essentially intellectual property information generated by the right holder’s investment of money, manpower, material resources, knowledge, experience, and time, including licensee’ payment for use. Therefore, the law protects the right holder’s interests in trade secrets. Ordinary information are not protected by law. The Anti-Unfair Competition Law provides that “Trade secrets referRead more about 140.What kind of information is a trade secret?[…]

141.How does the right holder prove the existence of trade secrets?

141.How does the right holder prove the existence of trade secrets?

Answer: According to “What kind of information is a trade secret?”, if the right holder of trade secret wants to stop the infringement or pursue the tortfeasor, they must prove the establishment of trade secret, which has three conditions: the relevant information is non-public information, the information has commercial value, and the right holder hasRead more about 141.How does the right holder prove the existence of trade secrets?[…]