Changing fundamentals, both global and domestic, are demanding ever more from savvy investors and the switched-on legal teams they hire to ensure their investments bear the least risk and the most fruit.
China-related mining and energy markets are a perfect example and in What lies beneath? Richard Li explores trends at home and abroad that point to greater challenges for those that delve for riches. On the outbound side, China’s miners are digging ever deeper, and showing greater confidence to take up challenges with more unconventional, and rewarding, resources like shale gas and deep-water oil.
We look at the biggest deals in the world’s mining hotspots that have attracted Chinese investment, and also how investors are overcoming political and regulatory challenges to succeed in their endeavours. On the domestic side, less administrative interference and more foreign investment are making for an interesting landscape this year, as China seeks better technologies and employs foreign partnerships to help provide them.
The Four Seas takes us to Western Europe this month with Cherry Picking, which, as the title suggests, is exactly what Chinese investment in Europe is all about. Streamlined approval processes and liberal investment laws at the regional level mean the environment is still ripe for investors. But rather than chasing bargains and fire sales, Chinese investors are increasingly choosing deals that can provide additional elements like technology and R&D – elements that promise future growth. There are no prizes for guessing German enterprises are high on the list of desirables, with France surprisingly not far behind. The UK has undergone a revamp of financial regulation, with changes that put more onus on individuals to bear responsibility for regulatory breaches at their companies.
Catch up with the latest developments and pick your own bowl of cherries from the opportunities and updates in this detailed report on Western Europe.
Back on the home front, don’t let some rapid developments in privacy regulation and data protection catch you unaware. Existing and emerging regulations may be lacking in detail, but are still potentially far reaching and threaten significant sanctions for non-compliance. Elements of protection provides a much needed update on a landscape that is changing quite quickly within China.
The addition of data privacy protection to the Consumer Rights Law reflects a general trend where government authorities are becoming more willing to take protective measures when it comes to personal information protection. Although there is no blanket regulation in this area, huge leaps forward are underway. This article will help you target areas for compliance management.
