In China, the Foreign Investment Law (FIL) and its implementation regulations create the framework for the foreign investment security review (FISR) system. The Measures for Security Review of Foreign Investments further develop the scope of FISR. Nonetheless, the FISR measures describe the targeted sectors in broad strokes, leaving substantial room for further interpretation and clarification.

Summary of major changes in 2024

• In March 2024, the State Council released the Action Plan for Solidly Promoting High-Level Opening-up and Attracting and Utilizing Foreign Investment with Greater Efforts. The Action Plan sets out measures to attract foreign investments, including reducing restrictions on market access, implementing tax and financial support policies, optimizing the business environment by promoting procurement systems and government services, and promoting the exchange of business personnel and cross-border flow of data.
• Six months later, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce jointly issued the Negative List for Foreign Investment (2024 version), which eliminates access restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector.
• In November, six ministerial-level regulatory authorities jointly published amended Administrative Measures for Strategic Investments in Listed Companies by Foreign Investors, which lowers investment thresholds by: allowing foreign individuals to make strategic investments; easing asset requirements for foreign investors; adding tender offers as a method of strategic investment; allowing the use of foreign private company shares as payment in strategic investments through private placement and tender offers; and reducing the minimum shareholding requirement and lock-up period.

Who files?

If a transaction falls within the scope of FISR, either the foreign investor or the Chinese party must file an application with the FISR office of the National Development and Reform Commission before the start of the transaction in order to meet the regulatory filing requirements. If the parties fail to file an FISR application and commence a transaction, and the FISR office determines that it falls within the scope of FISR, the FISR office has the authority to require the filing parties to suspend the transaction and submit an FISR application.

In practice, various regulatory authorities will closely cooperate with each other in monitoring foreign investment activities in China. For example, if an antitrust filing is required for a transaction and such transaction is likely to fall within the scope of FISR, the antitrust regulatory authority may share the relevant information of such transaction with the FISR office for further review and clearance before processing the antitrust filing. Based on the review of the relevant information, the FISR office may notify one of the parties to a transaction to submit an FISR application.

Types of deals reviewed

Under the FISR measures, the FISR office has the authority to review a broad range of direct and indirect investment activities conducted by foreign investors. These include greenfield investments, to initiate a new project or establish a new enterprise in China, either independently or jointly with other investors.

Investments involving the acquisition of equity interest or assets of an enterprise in China can also be reviewed. This category covers transactions between two foreign parties involving the indirect acquisition of equity interest or assets of a Chinese enterprise, such as share transfer at the shareholder level outside China.

The FISR office can also review investments in China through other structures. This category is broadly defined in order to give the regulator great flexibility in interpretation, and foreign investments through a variable interest vehicle, along with public offerings of Chinese enterprises through merging with special purpose acquisition companies (such as de-SPAC transactions) will likely fall into this category.

Given the broad definition of foreign investments, foreign investors should evaluate carefully before entering into a transaction to avoid FISR compliance risks.

Scope of the review

A foreign investment transaction is subject to FISR if: it involves sectors related to national defense and security, such as arms and arms-related industries or in geographic locations in close proximity to military facilities or defense-related industries facilities; or it involves sectors significant for national security, such as critical agricultural products, energy and resources, equipment manufacturing, infrastructure, transportation services, cultural products and services, information technology and internet products and services, financial services and key technologies; and will result in foreign investors obtaining "actual control" of the target enterprise.

Foreign investors will be deemed to have "actual control" over a target enterprise if they hold more than 50 percent of the equity interest in the enterprise. Even if foreign investors hold less than 50 percent of the equity interest in such enterprise, they can exert significant influence at the shareholder or board level by virtue of voting rights; or other circumstances under which foreign investors can exert significant influence over the operational decision-making, personnel, finance and technology of the target enterprise.

In addition, although not explicitly stipulated under relevant laws and regulations, the FISR office may consider the following factors in reviewing the FISR applications in practice: whether the foreign investor is, directly or indirectly, connected to any foreign government or any political parties of a foreign country; whether the Chinese enterprise involved has customers that are state-owned enterprises or entities in military, defense, financial, transportation or public utilities sectors; whether the products or services provided by the Chinese enterprise involved are otherwise readily available in the Chinese market; and whether the Chinese enterprise involved has access to the important data of its customers or collects any personal data within China.

Review process timeline

The FISR measures provide the typical timeline and process for the FISR review of a transaction. Upon the receipt of an application, the FISR office will make a preliminary decision on whether a transaction is subject to general review within 15 working days.

If the FISR office decides that a transaction should be subject to general review at the conclusion of the preliminary review, it will conduct and complete the general review within 30 working days of the date it made its preliminary review decision.

If the FISR office determines that a transaction should be subject to special review at the conclusion of the general review, it will conduct and complete the special review within 60 working days. Under special circumstances, the FISR office may extend the special review at its own discretion and will inform the applications with a written notification. The FISR office will issue its final decision to applicants after the completion of the special review.

During the FISR office's review, parties to a transaction are prohibited from proceeding with a transaction. In other words, the FISR must be completed prior to the closing of a transaction.

How foreign investors can protect themselves

Foreign investors should continue to be mindful of the legislative and enforcement developments on China's FISR regime, and pay special attention to transactions that might fall within the industries that are more likely to trigger FISR concerns.

Foreign investors should be cautious when completing acquisitions before obtaining FISR approval, as they might be forced to divest the acquired equity interest or assets in China if the transaction ultimately fails the FISR approval process.

Due to enforcement uncertainties and the broad scope of captured industries, foreign investors interested in sensitive industries may wish to conduct a comprehensive pre-transaction analysis before proceeding with the transaction to avoid compliance risks.

Foreign investors may consider scheduling pre-application consultations with officials from the FISR office to determine FISR risk before commencing the formal application process to reduce transaction uncertainties.

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_{This article is prepared for the general information of interested persons. It is not, and does not attempt to be, comprehensive in nature. Due to the general nature of its content, it should not be regarded as legal advice.}

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