Electronic Commerce Law Come into Force in China - China Legal Service

In 2012, China's e-commerce transaction volume reached 7.85 trillion yuan, which increased 30.8% more than last year. Online retail sales exceeded 1.3 trillion yuan, accounting for 6.3% of the total retail sales of consumer goods. E-commerce service enterprises directly employed more than 2 million people and indirectly employed more than 15 million people.

According to the predictions from relevant departments and experts, by the end of the 12th Five-year Programme, the total amount of Chinese Internet users will reach 700 million, e-commerce transactions and online retail transactions will increase to 18 trillion yuan and 3 trillion yuan correspondingly. China will become the world's largest e-commerce market, e-commerce industry will become the most potential and most internationally competitive industry.

Based on the rapid development of e-commerce in China, the Electronic Commerce Law of the People's Republic of China has been adopted by the Fifth Session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on August 31, 2018, and has come into force on January 1, 2019.

The Electronic Commerce Law has made further regulations about individual information protection and dispute solution mechanism. Besides, the rights and obligations between E-commerce operators and consumers are more explicit. And according to the Electronic Commerce Law, Chinese government would focus on the improvement of customs, taxation, entry and exit inspection and quarantine, payment and settlement and other management systems combined with the needs of cross-border e-commerce, in order to promote the development of cross-border e-commerce.

As an entrepreneur, if you want to set up a company engaging in cross-border e-commerce, a professional lawyer can be helpful. As a consumer, you can also seek help or advice from lawyers when your rights are violated.