09 Dec 2025 China Legal Update – December 10th 2025, China News
I. New FSL to further safeguard food safety
Background
On September 12, the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress adopted the newly revised Food Safety Law (FSL), which has taken effect on December 1, 2025.
The current FSL has been in force since 2009 and underwent a major revision in 2015, followed by updates in 2018 and 2021. The latest amendment focuses on two previously unregulated areas that have raised food-safety concerns:
· bulk road transportation of liquid food, and
· regulatory requirements for infant formula liquid milk.
Key content
Bulk transportation of liquid food by road
Licensing system
The new FSL introduces a licensing mechanism: road transport operators handling bulk transportation of key liquid food products must meet specific conditions and obtain transport permits.
Obligations of shipper, consignee, and transport operator
• The shipper must check the operator’s transport permit and verify that the container complies with food-safety requirements.
• The consignee must inspect the transport permit, review transport records, and ensure the seal on the container remains intact.
• The transport operator must use containers compliant with national standards, clean them promptly, and avoid carrying any non-food substances.
Further regulatory details
The food safety authority under the State Council, together with other relevant departments, will issue the list of key liquid foods and detailed management rules for bulk transportation of key liquid foods.
The revision also prohibits any falsification, alteration, or tampering with transport records, cleaning certificates, or related documents.
Infant formula liquid milk
New provisions specify that infant formula liquid milk will now fall under the same registration and production regime as infant formula milk powder.
Producers must strictly comply with the registered formula, production process, and technical requirements; violations will entail corresponding legal liability.
Conclusion
The revised FSL aims to reinforce overall safeguards. It also mandates the issuance of detailed regulations on bulk transportation of liquid foods, which will support effective implementation of the law.
II. SPC Refined the Jurisdiction of Internet Courts over Cases
On October 11, the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) released the Provisions on the Jurisdiction of Internet Courts over Cases, effective November 1, 2025.
Comprising four articles, these Provisions adjust and refine the scope of matters handled by Internet Courts. They follow the 2018 Provisions, which originally identified 11 categories under the centralized jurisdiction of these courts.
2. Highlights
New categories added
Compared with the previous framework, four new types of cases now fall under the centralized jurisdiction of Internet Courts:
- disputes relating to network data (ownership, infringement, contracts),
- disputes concerning network personal information protection and privacy,
- disputes involving virtual property (ownership, infringement, contracts),
- unfair competition disputes on the internet.
Parties must file these cases directly before Internet Courts.
Categories removed
Several types of disputes have been removed from Internet Courts’ jurisdiction, including:
- Internet-based financial loan and small-loan contract disputes,
- Disputes over copyright or neighboring rights of works first published online,
- Disputes over infringements of copyright or neighboring rights of works published or disseminated online,
- Product-liability disputes involving defective goods purchased via e-commerce platforms,
- And traditional online torts (reputation, general personality rights, property rights).
Appeal mechanism adjusted
The Provisions refine the appeal trial mechanism for first-instance Internet Court decisions:
- The intermediate people’s court where the Internet Court is located will hear appeals.
- If multiple intermediate courts exist in the same locality, the higher people’s court will designate the competent court.
- Where a case falls under the jurisdiction of a special people’s court, that court will hear the appeal.
Foreign-related cases
The Provisions expand jurisdiction over foreign-related disputes. Internet Courts will handle cases involving:
- network data disputes(ownership, infringement, contracts),
- network personal information protection and privacy disputes,
- virtual property disputes (ownership, infringement, contracts),
- online unfair competition disputes,
- internet domain-name disputes(ownership, infringement, contracts),
- online shopping disputes via e-commerce platforms(signing, performance of contracts),
- network service contract disputes where both signing and performance occur online.
3. Conclusion
These Provisions respond to the rapid emergence of new internet-related legal issues involving data, algorithms, and personal information. By refining the jurisdiction of Internet Courts, they aim to guide parties in selecting the competent court, strengthen judicial governance of cyberspace, and support the high-quality development of the digital economy.