Laws and Regulations

 

National

 

1. Public Consultation on the Measures for the Administration of Credit Restoration

[Keywords: Credit restoration]

 

On September 1, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued a notice soliciting public comments on the Measures for the Administration of Credit Restoration (Draft for Comments). The document specifies the applicable scope of credit restoration, classifies dishonest behaviors into minor, general, and serious categories, and sets out the requirements for credit restoration applications, supporting materials, processing deadlines, and procedures for objections and appeals. The deadline for feedback is September 30, 2025.

 

Source: NDRC

https://yyglxxbsgw.ndrc.gov.cn/htmls/article/article.html?articleId=2c97d16c-9324f814-0199-04949b1b-00a1

 

Shanghai

 

1. Revised Measures for the Administration of Development Funds for MNCs’ Regional Headquarters in Shanghai Released

[Keywords: MNCs, Regional headquarters]

 

Recently, the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce and the Shanghai Municipal Finance Bureau jointly released the revised Measures for the Administration of Development Funds for Regional Headquarters of Multinational Corporations in Shanghai. The document applies to projects recognized as regional headquarters, divisional headquarters, global R&D centers, and open innovation platforms of MNCs. The document took effect on September 1, 2025, and will remain valid until August 31, 2030.

 

Source: Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce

https://sww.sh.gov.cn/zwgkhsgwj/20250829/e2ba6b0072c14f61af8294fbab6cf05b.html

 

2.Shanghai Further Promotes the Development of Popular Nighttime Economy Landmarks

[Keywords: Nighttime economy, Popular landmarks]

 

Recently, the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, together with seven other authorities, released the Measures to Further Support the Development of Popular Nighttime Economy Landmarks in Shanghai. The document outlines ten initiatives, including unleashing the vitality of the “outdoor stall economy”, enhancing food safety supervision for marketplaces, and supporting the organization of themed specialty marketplaces.

 

Source: Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce

https://sww.sh.gov.cn/zwgkgfqtzcwj/20250829/abb842c357f74c2a87b8c78414cd3c49.html

 

3. SHFE Expands Scope of Futures and Options Trading for Qualified Foreign Investors

[Keywords: Foreign institutions, Futures trading]

 

On September 1, the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) announced that, with the approval of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), it will further expand the range of products available to Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFIIs) and Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (RQFIIs), starting from the market opening at 9:00 a.m. on September 10, 2025. The newly accessible products will include petroleum asphalt futures contracts, as well as options contracts for fuel oil, petroleum asphalt, and pulp.

 

Source: SHFE Release

 

Q&A

 

Relevant officials from the NDRC answered a reporter’s question on the Opinions on Deepening the Implementation of the “AI Plus” initiative 

Q

What is the significance of implementing the “AI Plus” initiative?

A

From the perspective of technological development, the “AI Plus” initiative helps align with and harness the evolving trends of AI. The implementation of the “AI Plus” initiative will support the deployment of application scenarios with new scientific research outcomes, while driving technological breakthroughs through emerging application demands. It will promote the two-way empowerment of AI technological innovation and application development. By leveraging the certainty of AI-driven growth to effectively address the uncertainties arising from rapid changes in technology and the external environment, the initiative will accelerate the formation of a more vibrant and distinctly Chinese path to AI development. At the same time, China will proactively develop laws, regulations, policy frameworks, and ethical standards that keep pace with the evolution of AI technologies to ensure that AI advances in a beneficial, safe, fair, and orderly manner.

From the perspective of domestic practice, the “AI Plus” initiative will help drive high-quality development empowered by AI. By implementing the “AI Plus” initiative, China will leverage its advantages in abundant data resources, a well-established industrial system, and vast application scenarios. It will promote broad and deep integration of AI across sectors, support the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, and open up new arenas for the development of strategic emerging and future industries. The initiative will also help stimulate demand growth, accelerate the shift of growth drivers, attract global investment to China, and boost high-quality economic development, while ensuring that the benefits of AI progress are shared by all people.

From the global perspective, the “AI Plus” initiative will help foster a higher standard of openness and international cooperation. By implementing the “AI Plus” initiative, China will uphold the principle of using AI for good, treat AI as a global public good that benefits humanity, and actively promote international cooperation in the field of AI. The initiative will advance inclusive access to technologies and shared outcomes, and foster the joint development of a global AI governance system. It will also help further deepen global cooperation, bridge the global AI divide, and enable more countries and peoples to share in the development opportunities brought by technological progress.

 

Source: Chinese Government Website

https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/202508/content_7037920.htm

 

The head of the Research Office of the Supreme People's Court answered reporters’ questions on the special guiding cases on the judicial protection of data rights and interests 

Q

Guiding Cases No. 265 and No. 266 concern disputes over personal information protection. What is the guiding significance of these two cases in strengthening the protection of personal information?

A

Personal information concerns the vital interests of the people and is closely tied to the development of the digital economy and the protection of the public interest. The “20 Data Measures” call for stronger personal information protection, stating that “for data carrying personal information, data processors shall, within the scope of personal authorization, lawfully and compliantly collect, hold, manage, and use such data; regulate personal information processing activities; and refrain from excessive collection of personal information through ‘blanket authorization’ or forced consent”. The “20 Data Measures” further emphasize “strengthening personal information protection, promoting the establishment of sound and long-term protection mechanisms in key industries, reinforcing corporate responsibility, and regulating corporate practices in the collection and use of personal information”.

To implement the requirements of the “20 Data Measures” and strictly enforce the provisions of the Civil Code, the Personal Information Protection Law, and other laws on personal information protection, this batch of guiding cases on judicial protection of data rights deliberately selected two cases involving personal information disputes: Luo v. XX Technology Co., Ltd., concerning the dispute over the right to privacy and protection of personal information (Guiding Case No. 265) and Huang X Huan v. XX Credit Management Co., Ltd., concerning the dispute over protection of personal information (Guiding Case No. 266). Both cases respond to the need for clear rules on personal information protection in the development of the data factors market and contribute to forming a coherent system of adjudicatory rules for personal information disputes.

It is important to note that ensuring the full protection of personal information security is a critical prerequisite for promoting the lawful and efficient circulation and use of data. The “20 Data Measures” emphasize the need to “regulate personal information processing activities” and to “promote the reasonable use of personal information”, thereby clarifying the direction for further refining the rules governing personal information processing.

The two guiding cases address typical scenarios of online platforms collecting users’ personal information, focusing on the concrete application of the “notice-and-consent” rule. By illustrating both permissible and impermissible practices, they further refine the application of the relevant provisions under the Civil Code and the Personal Information Protection Law, striking a reasonable balance between protecting and utilizing personal information, and fostering a safe, regulated, and orderly environment for the circulation and use of personal data.

Specifically, in Guiding Case No. 265, the app in question provided its basic service of delivering online course video streams and related text and video content. Collecting user profile information was not necessary for delivering these basic functions. Under this premise, if a website or software login/registration interface collects relevant information without providing users with an alternative login option that do not require the submission of such information, the user’s consent to provide personal information shall be deemed involuntary. If a user claims that their personal information rights have been infringed, the people’s court shall uphold the claim in accordance with the law.

With respect to Guiding Case No. 266, the “Buy Now, Pay Later” function requires the activation of credit services as a necessary condition. The collection of personal information by relevant credit service providers, insofar as it reflects a user’s personal credit or risk profile, falls within the scope of information “necessary for the conclusion or performance of a contract to which the individual is a party”. Accordingly, where the credit service provider collects such credit-related information in a manner that imposes the least impact on individual rights and fulfills its duty to inform regarding the collection of personal information, if a user claims that the collection infringes upon his/her personal information rights, the people’s court would not uphold such a claim.

In recent years, apps have been widely used, and it has become common for app operators to collect users’ personal information, leading to a growing number of related disputes. Guiding Case No. 265 is one such case where an app operator’s excessive collection of users’ personal information was ultimately found by the court to have infringed upon personal information rights. This case once again serves as a warning to app operators to genuinely strengthen their awareness of personal information protection, strictly comply with the Civil Code, the Personal Information Protection Law, and other relevant regulations, enhance corporate data compliance systems, and ensure that the collection and use of personal information remain within the boundaries of the law, so as to avoid crossing legal red lines.

 

Source: Intellectual Property Tribunal of the Supreme People’s Court

 

Expert Perspective

 

Perseverance Yields Results: A Comprehensive Review and Outlook on the “Measures for the Authorized Operation of Public Data Resources in Shanghai”

By Wan Bo (Boss & Young Law Firm)

 

II. Progress and Innovations in the Administrative Measures for the Authorized Operation of Public Data Resources in Shanghai (hereinafter referred to as the “Measures”)

The Measures lays an institutional foundation for making public data resources available in an orderly manner, while introducing a number of institutional innovations. Its progressiveness is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

1. The Measures establishes a unified and standardized framework for authorized operation across the city.

The promulgation of the Measures marks the end of a fragmented situation in which individual departments and districts acted on their own. Under the Measures, Shanghai adopts an “integrated authorization model”, whereby the implementation agency designated by the municipal government takes the lead in organizing authorized operation activities. Districts with genuine needs may carry out related work under overall municipal coordination. This “citywide unified approach” helps avoid overlapping authorizations and inconsistent standards, while providing market participants with stable expectations.

2. The Measures clearly defines the roles of the participating entities.

A four-tier structure of “Municipal Data Bureau – Implementation Agency – Operating Entity – Development Entity” has been established. The implementation agency, designated by the government, is responsible for overall coordination. The operating entity, as the primary authorized developer, is tasked with supplying basic data products and services. The development entity focuses on scenario-based application development. This clear division of responsibilities defines the boundaries of authority and obligations, fostering a collaborative ecosystem with greater specialization.

3. The Measures explores mechanisms to ensure data supply, addressing the supply bottleneck.

With respect to the data supply mechanism, the Measures embodies a dual approach of restriction and empowerment. On the one hand, it explicitly prohibits industry regulators at all levels and their affiliated public institutions from bypassing the authorized operation procedures set out in the Measures to “set up separate operations”, whether by independently or through third parties developing and providing public data products and services to the public for a fee. On the other hand, in order to motivate industry regulators, the Measures allows them to designate affiliated public institutions or  state-owned enterprises to jointly participate in authorized operations together with the implementation agency.

4. The Measures dedicates a chapter on digital technology infrastructure to safeguard the bottom line of technology security.

In terms of technology security, the Measures call for leveraging digital technologies such as blockchain, privacy computing, and trusted data spaces to build a unified citywide data infrastructure. These technologies enable the security goal of “moving models instead of moving data”, thereby addressing the security concerns of both data providers and users. At the same time, the Measures proposes the establishment of data innovation laboratories and the exploration of sandbox regulatory mechanisms, creating a secure testing environment for the efficient circulation and application of data.

5. The Measures designates “public interest first” as one of the fundamental principles to preserve the public nature of public data.

In terms of public interest safeguards, the Measures identifies “public interest first” as one of the basic principles and reflect it across multiple provisions. For example, operating entities are prohibited from abusing market dominance or engaging in unfair competition, and are encouraged to use technology, products, and services to support the government’s capacity-building in data management. These rules ensure that the public nature of public data is not unduly eroded by commercial interests. In addition, the Measures establishes a financial supervision mechanism, requiring operating entities to maintain dedicated accounts for related revenues and expenditures, and to undergo internal audits. This provides the foundation for exploring and establishing a profit-sharing mechanism.

6. The Measures also demonstrates innovation in fostering the ecosystem.

On the one hand, it encourages districts to cultivate development entities and expand application scenarios through policy support and industrial parks. On the other hand, it promotes cross-sector integration and application of data to foster a vibrant data economy ecosystem. This development model of “government guidance + market leadership” helps build a dynamic and diversified data factor market with broad participation.

[To be Continued]

 

One Week in Shanghai

 

Latest News

 

1. “Sino-Swiss Dialogue on Cooperation at Local Level” Successfully Held in Shanghai

[Keyword: Swiss]

 

Recently, the “Sino-Swiss Dialogue on Cooperation at Local Level” was successfully held in Shanghai. The event brought together more than 60 representatives and experts from government departments, research institutions, universities, and enterprises in Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, and Zhejiang Province, as well as from the Consulate General of Switzerland in Shanghai, the Swissnex, and the Swiss-Chinese Association. This dialogue, themed “Promoting China-Swiss Local Exchanges through Cooperation on Sustainable Development”, explored topics such as green energy transition, AI empowerment, and smart city governance. It facilitated mutual learning and exchange of best practices in sustainable development between localities in China and Switzerland, while exploring broader opportunities for cooperation.

 

Source: Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

 

Corporate Activities

 

1.H&M Launches its First Brand Experience Center in China

[Keywords: H&M]

 

On September 9, the internationally renowned fashion brand H&M unveiled the “House of H&M” on Huaihai Middle Road in Shanghai. As H&M’s first brand experience center in China, the “House of H&M” occupies a standalone building of 3,000 square meters. Blending the rich historical heritage of Huaihai Road with cutting-edge fashion trends, it introduces an immersive space that breaks away from convention, establishing a vibrant and creative new landmark for fashion in the city.

 

Source: Shanghai Huangpu

 

Competitive Event

 

1. World-class Motocross Championship Roars to Life at Shanghai International Off-road Circuit

[Keywords: Motocross championship]

 

From September 12 to 14, the world’s premier motocross championship — MXGP — will roar to life at the Shanghai International Off-road Circuit in Fengxian District. A total of 33 elite teams from 22 countries, along with more than 70 top international riders, will compete in thrilling high-level contests.

 

Source: International Services Shanghai

https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-SportsEvents/20250702/fdd364c3624f4261a73e10d95d3d6d63.html

 

2. Player Lineup Announced for the 2025 Shanghai Rolex Masters

[Keywords: Rolex Masters]

As one of the ten flagship events of the 2025 “Shanghai Summer” International Consumption Season, the player lineup for the 2025 Shanghai Rolex Masters has been officially unveiled. Defending champion Jannik Sinner and five-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz will headline the world-class roster competing in Shanghai. Chinese star Bu Yunchaokete has, for the first time, earned direct entry into the tournament based on his world ranking. The Masters will take place from September 29 to October 12.

 

Source: Shanghai Release

 

Forum & Exhibition

 

1. 2025 Inclusion · Conference on the Bund to Open on September 10

[Keywords: Inclusion · Conference on the Bund]

From September 10 to 13, the 2025 Inclusion · Conference on the Bund will be grandly held at the World Expo Park in Huangpu, Shanghai. This year’s conference, themed “Path to Innovative Growth”, will bring together global tech leaders, young scientists, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts for an open, diverse, and forward-looking technology festival.

 

Source: Inclusion · Conference on the Bund

 

Culture & Art

 

1.ACT Shanghai Contemporary Theatre Festival Opens

[Keywords: Shanghai Contemporary Theatre Festival]

The ACT Shanghai Contemporary Theatre Festival has recently opened. Centered on the theme of “Synergy”, this year’s festival showcases a series of theatrical productions born out of collaborative synergy. It brings together leading theatre troupes and artists from China, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, and Indonesia. The program presents eight diverse collaborative productions and special events spanning stage plays, musicals, dance theatre, immersive theatre, and more.

 

Source: Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center

 

2. Theatre YOUNG Announces 2025 Autumn–Winter Season 

[Keywords: Theatre YOUNG]

 

Recently, Theatre YOUNG unveiled its 2025 Autumn–Winter performance season. With the theme “2026”, the season is structured into several sections, including “The 3rd ‘Autumn Is’ International Theatre Festival”, “Festival Carnival”, “Theatre Evolution”, “Unboxing! The YONG Generation”, and “Seed Lab”. Together, they present more than 30 productions across 100 performances for audiences.

 

Source: Shanghai Tourism

 

3. Fireworks — Philharmonic String Quintet Berlin Set to Begin

[Keywords: Berlin Philharmonic]

On September 24, the Philharmonic String Quintet Berlin will take the stage at the Cadillac Shanghai Concert Hall. The program will feature a rich repertoire spanning from Classical and Romantic masterpieces to 20th-century classics, as well as works drawn from musical theatre and rock.

 

Source: Cadillac Shanghai Concert Hall