Silence Is Not Submission: Chinese Court Refuses to Enforce U.S. Default Judgment Rendered in Breach of Arbitration Agreement

In around 2019, a Chinese court in Hebei Province refused to enforce a US default monetary judgment from a California court on the grounds that a valid arbitration agreement was in place (Sunvalley Solar Inc. v Baoding Tianwei Solarfilms Co. Ltd. (2019) Ji 01 Xie Wai Ren No. 3).

China’s Shanghai Court Issues First Investigation Order to Support International Arbitration

In May 2025, the Shanghai International Commercial Court issued its first-ever investigation order to assist evidence collection in a SHIAC arbitration, strengthening judicial support for cross-border dispute resolution and bolstering Shanghai’s arbitration-friendly environment.

China Enacts Landmark Private Economy Promotion Law

China enacted its landmark first Private Economy Promotion Law, effective May 20, 2025, to guarantee fair competition, streamline market access via a unified negative list, and bolster private enterprises through financing, innovation, and service support.

China Strengthens Criminal IP Protection with New Rules

In April 2025, China’s top court and procuratorate jointly issued a new judicial interpretation to clarify standards for handling criminal intellectual property infringement cases, aiming to strengthen IP protection, particularly in the service sector.

SPC’s 2024 Typical IP Cases Include AI Face-Swap Ruling

In April 2025, China’s Supreme People’s Court released eight typical IP cases, highlighting judicial responses to emerging issues in AI, gaming, and biotech, including a landmark ruling on AI face-swapping copyright infringement.

SPC Issues Guiding Cases to Streamline Enforcement

In April 2025, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) issued six guiding cases to improve enforcement efficiency, standardize practices, and coordinate enforcement with bankruptcy proceedings.