According to the Chinese government website, from 2024, these new regulations will affect your life.
The new version of the National Medical Insurance Drug List will be implemented on January 1, 2024
The 2023 National Reimbursement Drug List will be released and will be implemented from January 1, 2024. A total of 126 drugs were added to the National Medical Insurance Drug Catalogue and 1 drug was transferred out of the catalogue, and the average price of drugs that were successfully negotiated or auctioned decreased by 61.7%. The total number of drugs in the new version of the medical insurance drug catalogue has reached 3,088, including 1,698 Western medicines, 1,390 Chinese patent medicines, and 892 traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces. The new version of the NRDL has added drugs in the fields of anti-tumor, rare diseases, and antivirals, such as eglastat tartrate for the treatment of adult patients with type I Gaucher disease, stuximab for the treatment of Kastmannia's disease, and linplixab for the treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. Drugs have also been included in the field of chronic diseases such as diabetes, such as dolagliatin for patients with type II diabetes.
From January 1, 2024, import and export tariffs on some commodities will be adjusted
The Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council issued an announcement that the import and export tariffs of some commodities will be adjusted in 2024. From January 1, 2024, the mainland will implement a provisional import tariff rate lower than the most-favored-nation tariff rate for 1,010 goods. According to the announcement, in order to accelerate the innovation and development of advanced manufacturing, the import tariffs on resources, key equipment and parts that are in short supply in China, such as lithium chloride, low-arsenic fluorite, and gas diffusion layers for fuel cells, will be reduced. In order to protect people's lives and health, zero tariffs will be implemented on drugs and raw materials for some anti-cancer drugs and drugs for rare diseases, and import tariffs on formula foods for special medical purposes will be reduced. Reduced import duties on sweet corn, coriander and burdock seeds. Reducing tariffs will help ensure the supply of seed industry on the mainland and promote the healthy and stable development of agriculture on the mainland. In addition, in 2024, the mainland will also implement treaty tax rates on some goods.
The amended Implementing Rules for the Patent Law will come into force on January 20, 2024
Premier Li Qiang signed an order of the State Council promulgating the Decision of the State Council on Amending the Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Patent Law of the People's Republic of China, which will come into force on January 20, 2024. The Decision amends the detailed rules for the implementation of the Patent Law mainly in the following aspects. The first is to improve the patent application system to facilitate applicants to obtain patents. Clarify that electronic form is considered to be written form. It is clear that the restoration of priority rights shall be requested within a certain period of time. Clarify the requirements for partial design patent application documents. The second is to improve the patent examination system and improve the quality of patent examination. Adjust the period of confidentiality review. Add a delayed review system. The third is to strengthen patent protection and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of patentees. A special chapter on compensation for the term of patent rights has been added, which clearly sets out the conditions and time requirements for the claim for compensation for the term of patent rights, the calculation method of the compensation period, and the scope of compensation. Fourth, strengthen patent services and promote the creation and transformation of patents. Fifth, special provisions have been added for international design applications.
The Regulations on the Protection of Minors Online will come into force on January 1, 2024
The Regulations on the Protection of Minors Online were adopted at the 15th executive meeting of the State Council on September 20, 2023, and will come into force on January 1, 2024. The key contents of the "Regulations" include: completing systems and mechanisms for the protection of minors online, clarifying the inclusion of online literacy education in the content of quality education in schools, stipulating the obligations of online platform service providers that have a large number of minor users or having a significant impact on minors to protect minors online, prohibiting any organization or individual from carrying out cyberbullying against minors, and requiring network product and service providers to establish and complete early warning and prevention of cyberbullying. Identifying, monitoring, and disposition mechanisms; providing that guardians shall educate and guide minors to enhance their awareness and ability to protect personal information, and guide minors in exercising relevant rights; require online gaming service providers to establish and improve game rules to prevent minors from becoming addicted to the Internet, classify game products, and give age-appropriate reminders.
A series of preferential tax policies will continue to be implemented in 2024
From January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025, taxpayers who sell their own housing and repurchase it in the market within one year after the sale of their current housing will be given a refund of the individual income tax paid on the sale of their current housing.
New energy vehicles purchased between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2025 are exempt from vehicle purchase tax, of which the tax exemption for each new energy passenger vehicle shall not exceed 30,000 yuan.
For the equipment and appliances newly purchased by enterprises during the period from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2027, if the unit value does not exceed 5 million yuan, it is allowed to be included in the current cost and expenses at one time and deducted when calculating the taxable income, and depreciation will no longer be calculated on an annual basis.
Qualified third-party enterprises engaged in pollution prevention and control will be levied enterprise income tax at a reduced rate of 15%, and the implementation period will be from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2027.
Continue to support national commodity reserves, and continue to implement preferential tax policies for some national commodity reserves, with the implementation period from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2027.
In order to support the restructuring and reorganization of enterprises and institutions, optimize the market environment, and continue to implement the deed tax policies related to the restructuring and reorganization of enterprises and institutions, the implementation period is from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2027.
The new version of the Putonghua Proficiency Test Implementation Outline will be officially implemented from January 1, 2024
The Putonghua and Writing Application Training and Testing Center of the State Language Commission issued a notice to publicly release the "Putonghua Proficiency Test Implementation Outline" (2021 Edition), which will be officially implemented from January 1, 2024. After the new version of the Outline was officially implemented, the old version of the Outline for the Implementation of the Putonghua Proficiency Test compiled in 2003 was discontinued at the same time.
The newly revised Administrative Measures for the Registration of Special Medical Foods will come into force on January 1, 2024
The State Administration for Market Regulation revised and issued the Administrative Measures for the Registration of Formula Food for Special Medical Purposes, which will come into force on January 1, 2024. The main contents of the "Measures" include: clarifying the circumstances of 7 types of products that are not registered, refining the on-site verification requirements, and carrying out extended verification of raw materials if necessary, and adding the item of "other technical requirements for products" to the registration certificate to further ensure the safety and effectiveness of product quality. Establish a priority review and approval process for products with rare disease categories and products that are urgently needed for clinical use and have not yet been approved for new categories, and shorten the review time limit from a maximum of 90 working days to 30 working days. It is emphasized that the label of special medical food should be true, accurate, clear and obvious, and meet the requirements of regulations and standards, and it is clarified that the product label shall not make functional claims about the nutrients and other ingredients in the product, so as to prevent misleading consumers. Optimize the on-site verification process of registration, give enterprises 30 working days to feedback whether they accept on-site inspection, and clarify the specific verification time, taking into account the preparation for verification and the timeliness of work, shorten the time limit for on-site verification of clinical trials by 10 working days to improve the efficiency of product registration, clarify the legal effect of electronic certificates, and facilitate service enterprises.
The Measures for the Supervision and Administration of the Quality of Drug Operation and Use will come into force on January 1, 2024
The State Administration for Market Regulation promulgated the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of the Quality of Drug Operation and Use, which will come into force on January 1, 2024. The "Measures" improve the management of drug business licenses. Clarify the licensing conditions and application material requirements for drug wholesale enterprises, retail chain headquarters and retail enterprises, simplify the approval procedures for drug business licenses, optimize the standards for the establishment of drug wholesale enterprises, and clarify the standards for the approval of the business scope of drug wholesale enterprises and retail enterprises.
The "Several Provisions on the Production and Administration of Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicles" will come into force on January 1, 2024
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the "Several Provisions on the Production and Management of Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicles", which clarified the scope of application, production management system, supervision and management system and other aspects. The main contents of the "Provisions" include: clarifying that the production, assembly, and assembly of civil unmanned aerial vehicles for sale and use within the territory of the People's Republic of China shall comply with these Provisions. It is stipulated that civil unmanned aircraft refers to civil aircraft without an on-board pilot and self-provided power system. It is clarified that these provisions do not apply to the production of model aircraft. It stipulates that manufacturers of civil unmanned aerial vehicles shall set up unique product identification codes for the civil unmanned aerial vehicles they produce, except for flying toys with their own power systems. It stipulates that the telecommunications equipment, radio transmission equipment, and radio frequencies used by civil unmanned aircraft shall comply with relevant national regulations.
The Measures for the Promotion of Enterprise Standardization will come into force in January 2024
The State Administration for Market Regulation revised and promulgated the Measures for the Promotion of Enterprise Standardization, which will come into force on January 1, 2024. The main contents and highlights of this revision include: First, adjust the enterprise standard management model. The second is to build an enterprise standard policy system. For the first time, it is clarified that the functional indicators and performance indicators disclosed in enterprise standards are less than or lower than the recommended standards, and shall be clearly indicated at the time of self-declaration disclosure, so as to further strengthen the disclosure of information on the quality standards of enterprise products and services, and increase market transparency. The third is to improve the explicit requirements of product packaging standards. For the first time, it is clearly required to disclose the packaging standards for goods that restrict excessive packaging, and it is clarified that enterprises should disclose the packaging standards used in the packaging of their products in accordance with relevant regulations. Fourth, strengthen the supervision of enterprise standards during and after the event. Establish a "double random, one open" enterprise standard supervision system, and clarify the punishment measures for various illegal acts in a targeted manner.
Ten entry and exit policies and measures to support Fujian's construction of a cross-strait integrated development demonstration zone will be implemented from January 1, 2024
The Exit and Entry Administration Bureau has studied and promulgated 10 immigration policies and measures, which will be implemented from 1 January 2024. In terms of facilitating the travel of Taiwan compatriots, the "online application," "port application," and "centralized application" of the mainland travel permit for Taiwan residents have been implemented. In terms of facilitating the passage of people and ships from Fujian and Taiwan, information collection points have been set up at passenger ports to Taiwan, so as to facilitate Taiwan compatriots who voluntarily retain information to use the fast channel for border inspection, so as to simultaneously realize "filing in one place and common to the whole country". With regard to encouraging Taiwan compatriots to settle down in Fujian, Taiwan compatriots who have explicitly applied to settle in Fujian may submit an application for settlement to the exit-entry administration of the public security organ at or above the county level in the proposed place of residence, and the time limit for examination and approval will be shortened from 20 working days to 10 working days. In terms of facilitating the life and development of Taiwan compatriots in Fujian, we will expand the scope of online verification services for Taiwan compatriots' permits, so that Taiwan compatriots who come to Fujian for short-term tourism, family visits, and business can also enjoy the convenience of public services such as transportation and electronic payment; we will promote the establishment of "special windows for Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan enterprises" and "entry-exit service stations" to further expand the Taiwan-related services of the 12367 hotline.
Edited by Xin Jing