Navigating China’s Compliance Framework in the Digital Age [Showcase Session]

15 May 2025 15:30 - 17:30

Solutions for Forward-Thinking Enterprises

With the seemingly unstoppable progress of digitisation across all areas of business and society in recent years, regulatory compliance is a perennial hot topic. In China, two areas in particular stand out at the moment:

Digitisation in the accounting sphere

China has effectively completed its digital transition in the area of VAT invoice (fapiao) issuance, with most companies, retail outlets and even train tickets being issued in digital form now. With this system in place, the Chinese tax bureau is pushing companies to adopt similarly advanced platforms to manage their accounting work. Not only will such platforms create efficiencies for internal processing and reporting, they can be leveraged to entirely eliminate the maintenance and storage of paper records. Chinese authorities have stipulated that electronic archiving is a fundamental requirement for such systems and a precondition for companies to discontinue their paper-based accounting books.

Dezan Shira’s corporate accounting and IT / IS managers will introduce our system for digitising the accounting process, and explain how we maintain compliance with important government regulations covering such financial accounting systems.

Ensuring online corporate tools / apps utilised in China are legally compliant

Many multinational companies develop apps that gather and store various information in digital form, or they use ERP systems that are hosted overseas but include information on Chinese citizens. If these apps are hosted outside of China the compliance challenge relates to Cross-Border Data Compliance (CBDT). Chinese regulations that become effective in May of this year are bringing extra requirements in this area.

Alternatively, compliance challenges usually relate to Multi-Level Protection Scheme (MLPS) certification for any app or system hosted inside of China. This is a standardised certification system that requires companies to take strong measures to protect their systems in China from security breaches, and imposes heavy penalties for failing to do so. The accounting system we introduce in the above-mentioned section falls into the latter category here for compliance purposes.

Dezan Shira’s data security specialists will introduce what companies need to do in order to ensure the apps they are using (whether hosted inside or outside of China) maintain compliance with relevant Chinese laws.

<Showcase Session> is a service that BritCham Shanghai offers to business members. Through the <Showcase Session>, member companies will have the opportunity to introduce and promote their services and products to interested Chamber members and non-members.

Adam Livermore

Partner, Dezan Shira & Associates

Adam Livermore is an equity partner at Dezan Shira & Associates. Born in London, he has been living in China for the past sixteen years and is proficient in Chinese and Japanese.

Adam is based in our Dalian office where he manages both client-facing resources as well as several internal functions for the firm. Adam has been exposed to most areas of the firm’s broad range of operations, but has a particular specialization in the areas of Human Resources in China, relating to both the legal and administrative aspects. He also possesses a comprehensive understanding of the key legal and accounting topics related to foreign direct investment in China. Having overseen Dezan Shira’s Indian operations for the past several years, Adam is able to compare and contrast these two huge, yet fundamentally different economies, and can provide insights into their respective business cultures and the operational challenges foreign investors face.

Before coming to China, Adam worked for nine years in Japan. During his time there he became deeply involved in commercial real estate finance, working at GMAC Commercial Mortgage. His work exposed him to the business areas of asset management, property management, distressed loan servicing, commercial loan origination and REIT structuring. Properties under Adam’s management at the time included office buildings, sports centers, distribution centers, supermarkets and mixed-use buildings. His focus was on the maintenance and disposition of these assets for the company.

Adam has co-authored a book with colleagues from Dezan Shira’s Dalian office entitled “Human Resources in China.” It provides in-depth explanations of the critical aspects that foreign managers need to understand when dealing with human resources issues in the People’s Republic of China. He regularly contributes to Asia Briefing’s series of technical guides and provides technical insight for Asia Briefing’s business websites. Recently a key focus of his is how to leverage ERP systems and other tools to integrate, localize and automate accounting work. Many of these articles have been syndicated in business publications worldwide.

Nathaniel Rushforth

Senior Data Security & Compliance Consultant, Dezan Shira & Associates

Nathaniel Rushforth is Dezan Shira & Associates’ Senior Data Security & Compliance Consultant, based in Shanghai. He holds a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor’s in computer science.

Prior to joining DSA, Nathaniel gained more than a decade of experience as a practicing lawyer, specializing in tech-related IP, cybersecurity, and China-related data compliance matters.

Nathaniel’s educational and practical background in computer engineering, software, and regulatory compliance allow him to engage with global companies to assess and solve compliance problems related to their businesses in China.

Lee Ding

Manager, Corporate Accounting Services, Dezan Shira & Associates

Lee Ding is a Manager of Dezan Shira & Associates’ Corporate Accounting Services team, based in the Shanghai office.

Lee has more than ten years of professional experience in tax and accounting. After graduating from Lixin University, he developed his career in an audit firm and then consulting companies. In his years of experience, he served a variety of clients in different industries in tax and accounting areas.

Within Dezan Shira & Associates, Lee coordinates with clients and works with the Information Systems team to ensure the provision of high-quality corporate accounting services in different industries and systems.

Lee has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, and is a semi-senior China Accountant and member of CPA Australia.

3:30-4:00 PM – Registration and networking
4:00-4:25 PM – Presentation: Digitising the accounting process, our system, and maintaining compliance with key government regulations
4:25-4:50 PM – Presentation: Ensuring compliance with Chinese regulations for apps used inside and outside China
4:50 PM and Beyond – Q&A Session and networking

*BritCham Shanghai reserves the right to alter the above agenda at any time.

Note:

In case of cancellation, please kindly note you must email the BritCham Shanghai Event staff Stephanie.Feng@britishchambershanghai.cn before 6 pm, 13 May.

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at BritCham Shanghai Office

Room 2107, 699 West Nanjing Road,

Oriental Centre, Jing’an District, Shanghai

上海市静安区南京西路699号东方投资大厦2107室

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