China

JunHe LLP | English | AcademicThink | Jan. 23, 2026 | Regulation

On January 20, 2026, a practical seminar on the World Bank’s newly revised "Integrity Compliance Guidelines" was successfully held, supported by the Expert Committee of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products and jointly hosted by JunHe Law Offices and Tianjin University's International Engineering Management School. The seminar concentrated on the World Bank’s December 2025 updates to the guidelines and common compliance errors among Chinese companies, gathering key representatives from the World Bank’s core investigation and compliance departments, compliance leaders from Chinese enterprises, and senior lawyers from multilateral development banks. The event aimed to provide a precise, in-depth compliance empowerment platform for Chinese companies involved in World Bank-financed projects.

The seminar was chaired by JunHe partner lawyer Zhou Xianfeng and featured welcome speeches from JunHe director Hua Xiaojun, China Chamber of Commerce deputy chairman Zheng Chao, and Tianjin University professor Zhang Shuibo. They collectively emphasized that multilateral development bank compliance standards form a critical foundation for improving Chinese companies' compliance levels in the current international market environment.

Key highlights included authoritative presentations from three core World Bank departments. Anthony Pan from the Integrity Compliance Office detailed critical updates in the new guidelines, including management responsibilities, technology usage compliance, accessibility of policies and records, anti-retaliation protections, and regulations on donations and sponsorships. Xuan Luo from the Integrity Vice Presidency addressed frequent compliance risks faced by Chinese companies in World Bank projects such as conflicts of interest, commissions, subcontracting, key personnel changes, and fraudulent disclosures, clarifying standards for collusion and corporate liability for employee misconduct. Chang Liu from the Office of Suspension and Debarment explained the World Bank’s sanctions framework, covering prohibited misconduct, recent case data, sanction measures, aggravating and mitigating factors, and cross-sanctions, providing a comprehensive overview of the system.

In a practical sharing session, JunHe partner Liu Zhen highlighted seven common misconceptions Chinese companies have about World Bank compliance requirements and offered actionable advice informed by recent policies and case examples. The closing session featured in-depth analyses on compliance system establishment and implementation from Yang Songlin, Chief Legal Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of China Power Engineering Corporation, and Liu Yufei, Deputy Director and Acting General Manager of Compliance Management at China Power Construction Group International Engineering Company, enriching attendees with valuable insights.

JunHe’s experienced legal team continues to provide comprehensive compliance legal services to Chinese companies engaged in multilateral development bank projects, including risk assessments, internal investigations, audit cooperation, compliance system construction, and sanction lifting. The seminar reinforced JunHe’s commitment to supporting Chinese enterprises with multi-level compliance solutions as they expand globally.

Xinhua | English | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | UndeterminedEconomic Growth

China's economy showed strong resilience and vitality in 2025, achieving a 5-percent growth despite a complex domestic and international environment, according to Asif Cheema, Asian Development Bank's (ADB) country director for China. The ADB revised its 2025 growth forecast upward in December, reflecting confidence in China's economic trajectory. The growth was driven by robust export performance and active industrial sectors, notably in high-tech and new energy industries.

In 2025, China ranked among the top 10 of the Global Innovation Index and surpassed the OECD average with an R&D spending intensity of 2.8 percent. Cheema highlighted "resilience" and "innovation" as key attributes of China's economy, citing rapid progress in artificial intelligence (AI) research and patenting. AI's integration with traditional industries is boosting productivity and fueling significant corporate revenue growth, positioning AI as a strong engine of economic expansion.

Cheema also praised China's macroeconomic policies aimed at improving productivity, enhancing social security to stimulate domestic consumption, and further opening the economy. Foreign investor confidence increased sharply, with offshore inflows into Chinese stocks reaching 50.6 billion U.S. dollars in the first ten months of 2025, up significantly from 11.4 billion dollars for all of 2024.

Looking ahead, Cheema expressed optimism about China's economic outlook, emphasizing stability and sustainable growth through continued efforts to boost domestic consumption and high-tech sectors. As the world’s second-largest economy and largest exporter, China plays a vital role in the global economy by fostering job creation, economic opportunities, and technology transfers through both trade and overseas investments.

Yicai Global | English | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | UndeterminedEconomic Growth

The ASEAN+3 region, comprising the 10 ASEAN members along with China, Japan, and South Korea, is projected to experience stronger economic growth in 2026 than previously forecasted. The ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) updated its outlook, predicting a 4 percent expansion in 2026 following 4.3 percent growth in 2025, marking a 0.2 percentage point upward revision for both years. China’s growth forecast was similarly raised to 4.6 percent in 2026 from the earlier estimate, supported by macroeconomic policies, resilient exports, and investment in high-tech manufacturing.

The region’s economic resilience is attributed to strong technology demand and robust foreign direct investment inflows into sectors such as advanced electronics, electric vehicles, and digital services. Semiconductor exports in the region grew by 21.7 percent in the second half of 2025, driven by demand related to artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure. The global purchasing managers’ index for electronics new orders showed improvement in December 2025, indicating continued export growth. Regional equity markets have also gained since October 2025, boosted by momentum in artificial intelligence despite concerns about US tariff policies.

Despite more balanced risks overall, AMRO identified ongoing uncertainties and downside risks, particularly linked to unpredictable US trade policies and potential expansions of protectionist measures. A significant slowdown in technology demand, possibly caused by market corrections or delays in AI adoption, could adversely affect regional exports, given the sector's cross-border ties. AMRO emphasized the importance of policy readiness to manage shocks in the short term, while encouraging diversification of growth drivers and deeper regional economic integration to enhance long-term resilience.