WTCGP CEOs’ China Operations Club roundtable “Current Issues in Manufacturing and New Chinese Laws” - November 14, 2007

The latest WTCGP CEOs' China Operations Club meeting opened with a conference call to Dr. Wenhan Tang, who guided many Club members during his time as a WTCGP staff member before his move to China.  Dr. Tang is currently the general manager of Magnetics Xiamen, Ltd, and a vice president at the parent corporation of Pittsburgh's Spang and Company, a leading world supplier of magnetic components and materials to the electronics industry. Via a conference call, Dr. Tang shared his experience of setting up Magnetics operations in China. After Dr. Tang’s presentation, Gary Biehn, who heads the China Business Practice Group at White and Williams LLP, provided the attendees with an overview of the legal landscape in China. Next, Chunsheng (Tony) Lu, an associate in White and Williams, LLP Business Department and a co-chair of the China Business Practice Group, provided an overview of the new contract laws limiting the contract disputes to which foreign law can be applied. The subsequent discussion focused on different Chinese cultural attitudes toward contracts. The WTCGP CEOs’ China Operations Club members left the meeting with a better understanding of the Chinese legal system, aware of strategies suited to resolve legal problems, and equipped with answers to many of their operational questions.