February 26, 2024
Taiwan and US Signs MOU on the Secure Exchange of Patent Data On November 22, 2023, Taiwan and the US signed the MOU on the Secure Exchange of Patent Data, streamlining and reducing the cost of patent priority claims for Taiwanese applicants who annually file over 20,000 patent applications in the United States.  The annual number of patent applications filed by Taiwanese has consistently been around 20,000 in recent years, but rose 6% from 2021 to 2022.  The MOU aims to alleviate this burden by facilitating the secure exchange of priority documents between the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).  The collaboration between Taiwan and the US on the electronic exchange of priority documents began in 2016 through TIPO and USPTO’s bilateral discussions.  Given the importance of information security, both confirmed details related to information equipment and transmission meticulously.  After continuous efforts from both sides, the MOU was finally signed in November 2023.  This milestone in the deepening of Taiwan’s relations with the US follows the implementation of the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) project in 2011, and the signing of the MOU on Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Cooperation in 2017.  To create an environment conducive to international patent applicants, TIPO has launched the electronic priority document exchange (PDX) program with Japan and South Korea in 2019 and 2021 respectively.  The recent expansion in PDX collaboration with the US shall greatly increase the convenience of Taiwanese applicants filing patent applications in the US, as well as for US applicants filing in Taiwan – a mutually beneficial arrangement.  Following the signing, TIPO and...
January 18, 2024
  Brief background of PPPs in the Philippines As early as 1990, the Philippine has recognized the significant role and contribution of the private sector in delivering basic government services to be more accessible to the public. To maximize the untapped potential of public-private partnerships (“PPP”), the Philippine Congress enacted Republic Act No. 6957 or “An Act Authorizing the Financing, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of Infrastructure Projects by the Private Sector, and for Other Purposes.” Said law enumerated the possible contractual arrangements between the public and private sector for the implementation of government projects such as build-operate-and-transfer, build-and-transfer, build-own-and-operate, build-lease-and-transfer, contract-add-and-operate, develop-operate-and-transfer, rehabilitation-operate-and-transfer, rehabilitation-own-and-operate. Based on a report produced by the Asian Development Bank dated December 2020, from 1990 to 2019, around 116 PPP projects have achieved financial closure, covering a variety of sectors such as airports, electricity, information and communications technology, ports, railways, roads, and water and sewerage. Additionally, total amount of investments made during the same period is approximately $43.95 billion. During the effectivity of Republic Act No. 6957, several amendments were introduced, and rules and regulations were passed to ensure unified and proper implementation of the law. Under the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (“IRR”) of Republic Act No. 6957, local government units were given liberty to formulate additional guidelines or procedures for their own projects that are not in conflict with the law. Thus, in its efforts to centralize and consolidate the various rules governing PPP projects, the Philippine Congress passed Republic Act No. 11966 or the “Public-Private Partnership Code of the Philippines” (“PPP Code”). The PPP Code covers “… all contractual arrangement between an...
January 17, 2024
Taiwan Introduces Chip-driven Industrial Innovation Plan The Executive Yuan has approved a plan to spend NT 300 billion dollars in the next 10 years to fund innovations that would combine the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems and chips.  The plan was briefed to Cabinet members by the National Science and Technology Council and it is expected that the plan will be enabled by cooperation between the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the National Development Council.  It was noted that with the rise of generative AI systems, chips have driven the development of the global technology industry and have become a motivator for businesses seeking innovation.  The development of chips would be the key technology for the next industrial revolution.  The plan also lays out strategies to meet the rising challenges in developing next-generation chip technology.  The government is to allocate the abovementioned sum of money from 2024 to 2033 to develop chip technology in order to keep Taiwan at the forefront of technological developments by developing the highest level technology to design advanced chips and accelerate heterogeneous integration of chip designs and interfaces.  The funding would be used to speed up the production of non-silicon-based wafers, as well as the development of chips smaller than 1 nanometer, 3D chip stacking technology and heterogeneous integrated packaging.  The funding would also be used to develop energy-saving applications with high computing power.  Of the NT 12 billion budgeted for 2024, about NT 8 billion would be used to train and attract talent, while NT 4...
January 16, 2024
The interactive edition of the January 2024 issue of the IHC Magazine (In-House Community Magazine) is now live. You can read it below or also download a copy on your device. As we step into the new year, it brings us immense pleasure to present to you the first edition of IHC magazine for 2024. Our team has curated an insightful blend of articles and features tailored to meet the evolving needs of in-house legal professionals like yourself. In this edition, we bring you comprehensive coverage of the prestigious 2023 IHC virtual awards ceremony that recognised the crème de la crème in the realm of in-house lawyers and teams. From ground-breaking legal strategies to innovative problem-solving, these professionals have set a benchmark for excellence, and we are thrilled to share their success stories with you. Diving into the complexities of today’s legal landscape, we also explore the intricacies of cross-border data transfers in this issue (King & Wood Mallesons). Another critical area we delve into is the delicate balance between innovation and privacy in the context of data protection (Galadari). Shifting our focus to the regulatory landscape, we unravel the intricacies of the new PRC Company Law (Chancebridge). We also cover the latest deals, partner level moves, and legal industry news including the appointment of a new managing partner in Baker McKenzie’s Vietnam office. For any feedback, Q&A opportunities, article or advert booking in our upcoming issues, please email us directly at...
January 12, 2024
Author: JIANG Fengwen, Zou Yongzhong, Joseph LI Beijing Chancebridge Law Office January 12th, 2024 On December 29, 2023, the latest revision of the Company Law of the People’s Republic of China, which has attracted wide attention, was finally adopted and promulgated by the Seventh Session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, with the effective date on July 1, 2024 (hereinafter referred to as the new “Company Law”). This is the sixth amendment to the current Company Act since its enactment on December 29, 1993. Previously, the Company Law underwent amendments to partial provisions in 1999 and 2004, a comprehensive revision in 2005, and two important amendments to issues related to the company’s capital system in 2013 and 2018. Usually, a draft law is submitted to the vote after deliberation at three meetings of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, but this time the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress made an exception to the Company Law, having taken nearly five years and four cumulative reviews and deliberations before being adopted by a vote, from the establishment of a drafting group for the revision of the Company Law by the Legislative Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress in early 2019. This has demonstrated its extraordinary importance and the fact that certain provisions had been clearly contested during the review process. This Sixth Amendment is the most significant and most comprehensive amendment based on the basic framework and system of the current Company Law. In the most comprehensive and profound revision, 16 sections in the current Company Law were deleted, 228 articles were added...
January 11, 2024
The rapid advancement of digitalization brought with it increased patronage for e-commerce. In April 2023, the Secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (“DTI”) reported that the increase in online transactions globally resulted in 80% growth in suspected digital fraud attempts. Suffice to say that one of the pronounced effects of the rise of e-commerce is the consequent proliferation of e-commerce fraud. While the growth of e-commerce demonstrated its potential of transforming how businesses are conducted, it also highlighted the need for governments to put in place ethical, legal and regulatory frameworks to aid consumers and entrepreneurs in navigating this increasingly complex and evolving business landscape. In the Philippines, Republic Act (“R.A.”) No. 11967 or the Internet Transactions Act of 2023 (“ITA”) was recently signed into law with the objective of regulating commercial activities through the internet. The goal is to ensure that consumer rights and data privacy are protected, innovation is encouraged, fair advertising practices and competition are promoted, online transactions are secured, intellectual property rights are upheld, and product standards and safety are guaranteed. SCOPE OF THE LAW AND JURISDICTION OF REGULATORY ENTITY In terms of application, the ITA applies to all business-to-business (“B2B”) and business-to-consumer (“B2C”) internet transactions within the mandate of the DTI where at least one of the parties is situated in the Philippines. The ITA defines an “internet transaction” as the sale or lease of digital or non-digital goods and services over the internet. The ITA is extraterritorial in scope in that it encompasses all e-commerce participants including foreign retailers which avail of the Philippine market to the extent of establishing...