The Hong Kong Chapter in The Aviation Law Review (Third Edition), which was published in September 2015, is authored by SW’s experienced aviation law practitioner, Mr Neville Watkins, partner.

The Chapter is an update of the previous edition published in July 2014, co-authored by Mr Watkins and Mr Simon Tong, assistant solicitor.

The Chapter provides an up-to-date review of the major legislation governing aviation activities in Hong Kong, such as the Civil Aviation Ordinance (Cap. 448), Aviation Security Ordinance (Cap.494) and the Airport Authority Ordinance (Cap.483) and also the impact on the manner of provision of services to consumers and restrictions on anti-competitive conduct in the aviation field brought about by the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (Cap.362) and the Competition Ordinance (Cap.619). The Chapter also looks at international conventions implemented in Hong Kong which enhances consumer protection.

Readers can gain a clear overview of aviation law in Hong Kong, including the regulatory framework, licensing of operations and aviation liabilities.

Please contact our Neville Watkins for any enquiries or further information about this news.

Official figures in the UK illustrated that from June 2013 to June 2014, 121,000 non-EU students entered the UK for studies but only 51,000 exited after completion ie. 70,000 have entered the country. A new regime was set to deprive non-EU college students of the right to work and the ability to apply for a visa extension when they complete the courses. Therefore, if students want to apply for a work visa to return to the country, they have to leave before they can do so. Whether this can create positive changes both to local people and foreign students can only be observed as time passes by.

[Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3158012/Foreign-college-students-banned-working-forced-leave-UK-course-ends.html]

Non-EU migrants coming to the UK for more than six months are now required to pay a charge to the NHS (National Health Service) as part of their visa application. The charge is £150 for students per year for the duration of their course and £200 per year for all other types of application.

[Source: https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/overview]

New measures for corporate bonds in the PRC

On 15 January 2015, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) implemented the Administrative Measures for Issuing and Trading Corporate Bonds “公司债券发行与交易管理办法” (the “Measures”), which replaced the Measures for Pilot Projects for the Offering of Corporate Bonds “公司债券发行试点办法”.

The Measures allow all corporate juristic persons to issue corporate bonds and have developed a set of rules to regulate issuance and transfer of publicly issued and non-publicly issued corporate bonds. The Measures also set out the disclosure requirements in relation to the purpose of raising funds, material event and credit rating.

New limits have been imposed on public issuing of corporate bonds to public investors by issuers. Article 21 of the Measures had streamlined the CSRC review procedures on application documents on information disclosure submitted by the issuers. The Measures fully utilize the internet as a platform for disclosure of information regarding the publicly issued corporate bonds which enhanced the authorities’ manpower to oversee the bond market.

The Measures serve as a platform for the CSRC to further strengthen its administrative powers of issuing corporate bonds.

Stevenson, Wong & Co. assisted LongGoal Holding Co., Ltd. in entering into a license agreement with bebe studio, inc. (NASDAQ: BEBE), an American women’s apparel designer brand

Acting for the LongGoal Holding Co., Ltd. (“LongGoal”), an international brand retail agency, as its legal adviser as to Hong Kong laws, SW assisted LongGoal in entering into a license agreement with bebe studio, inc. (“bebe”), an American affordable luxury women’s apparel designer brand.Taking advantage of this opportunity, LongGoal intends to launch the “bebe” brand into the Greater China market.

LongGoal is an international brands retail agency which was founded by Ms. Chen Xiaoling (陈小玲女士) in 1996. Besides the bebe brand, LongGoal is also the agency for GANT and Thomas Pink. Since 2005, LongGoal has set up more than 130 stores for the GANT brand in 50 cities in the PRC.

bebe is a global retail clothier engaging in design, development and manufacturing of women’s clothing and accessories. bebe is a NASDAQ-listed company and markets its merchandise through more than 200 retail stores and more than 100 international-licensee operated stores. In addition to retail stores, bebe also has an online store which enables purchases to be made worldwide.

(Source: http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA4OTEwMzEzMw==&mid=208446386&idx=2&sn=08414a3ab646b23c37a24fc92408ebcc&scene=5&srcid=0911sE1fDsRuG3GqzAvClUsx#rd)

Please contact our Mr. Eric Lui for any enquiries or further information about this event.

On 22 September 2015, our partner Mr. Eric Lui attended a connection seminar for financial, insurance and legal services in Suzhou, Jiangsu which was jointly organized by Jiangsu Development and Reform Commission, Jiangsu Overseas Development Association and Jiang Tai International Associates.

In the seminar, attendees discussed how to assist enterprises in Jiangsu to “go-out”, to participate in “One Belt One Road” and to solve problems and difficulties that enterprises will face when conducting overseas investment, such as bank financing for overseas projects, disputes arising from cross-border operations and risk management etc.

Please contact our Mr. Lui for any enquiries or further information about this event.