On 26 Oct. 2021, the Ministry of Commerce of China released the “Guidelines on Technology Import and Export (For Enterprises)” (hereinafter “the Guidelines”, 技術(shù)進(jìn)出口工作指引（企業(yè)版）) on its website.

The Guidelines aims to provide guidance for enterprises engaging in technology trade and contains explanation of terms, technology import and export management system, and content of technology contracts.

The Guidelines summarizes the technology import and export acts under Chinese laws, mainly including assignment of patent rights, assignment of rights to apply for patents, licensing of rights to implement patents, assignment of technical know-how, technical service and transfer of technology in other ways.

China is making further efforts to control technology import and export.

For example, on the basis of regulations such as the “Regulations on the Administration of Technology Import and Export” (技術(shù)進(jìn)出口管理?xiàng)l例) and the “Measures for the Administration of Technologies Prohibited or Restricted from Export” (禁止出口限制出口技術(shù)管理辦法), China have issued the “Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited or Restricted by China from Import” (中國禁止進(jìn)口限制進(jìn)口技術(shù)目錄) and the “Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited or Restricted by China from Export” (中國禁止出口限制出口技術(shù)目錄).

On 28 Aug. 2020, China further issued the “Announcement on Adjusting and Issuing the Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited or Restricted by China from Export” (關(guān)于調(diào)整發(fā)布<中國禁止出口限制出口技術(shù)目錄>的公告), which added restrictions on the export of artificial intelligence and network security technologies.

The Guidelines helps guide enterprises to improve their compliance management abilities in technology import and export.