On June 28, 2024, Longan (Guangzhou) Law Firm in Beijing successfully held a salon event titled “Compliance in the Middle East Expansion of Game and Social Platforms”. The event was hosted by Wu Rangjun, Director of Longan Bay Intellectual Property Research Center and senior partner in Longan Guangzhou, and Zhou Wenyi, partner in Longan Guangzhou, as well as Mr. Deng Zhuolun, Director of Overseas Business of Dachi Tax and Finance. Additionally, Adele, legal director of leading social platform companies, and Winnie, legal director for live streaming companies, shared their practical experiences during the roundtable session.
Wu Rangjun, Lawyer
Director of Longan Bay Intellectual Property Research Center, Senior Partner in Longan Guangzhou
Wu Rangjun mentioned that the idea for this event came from consultations and discussions between Zhou Wenyi and clients’ corporate legal advisors. Considering that expanding into the Middle East is a recent trend among game and social platform companies, and it is also a topic of great interest in the industry, it was decided to hold a presentation on “Compliance in the Middle East Expansion of Game and Social Platforms”. Zhou Wenyi will discuss the opportunities and challenges for game and social platform companies expanding into the Middle East, while Director Deng Zhuolun will talk about fiscal and tax compliance and practical cases for Chinese companies expanding overseas. The hope is that this event will help game and social platform companies make strategic decisions and ensure compliant operations in the Middle East.
Special Presentation
Zhou Wenyi, Lawyer
Partner in Longan Guangzhou
During the special presentation, Zhou Wenyi discussed “Opportunities and Challenges for Game and Social Platform Companies Expanding into the Middle East” from four perspectives: overview of the Middle Eastern market, strong localization, regulations and policies, and channel policies. First, Zhou Wenyi analyzed the market conditions in the Middle East for game and social platforms, highlighting the characteristics of “increasing spending” and “competition”. Then, she explained the need for strong localization in the Middle East, covering team localization, content localization, and operational localization. Next, she used Saudi Arabia and the UAE as examples to explain the typical laws and regulatory bodies related to games and the internet in the Middle East, and provided compliance suggestions, including setting clear boundaries, reviewing UGC content, and establishing complaint channels. After that, she discussed the compliance risks related to channel policies in the Middle East, including common reasons for rejection, risks related to gambling in board games, and risks related to UGC content. Finally, Zhou Wenyi concluded that paying attention to religious culture, legal policies, and channel policies is the starting point for ensuring compliance in the Middle East.
Mr. Deng Zhuolun
Director of Overseas Business of Dachi Tax and Finance
Deng Zhuolun presented on the theme of “Stable and Long-Term Expansion of Chinese Companies Overseas”. He discussed comprehensive considerations for expanding overseas, case studies of overseas expansion, and steps for compliance in fiscal and tax matters and cultural industry investments. Regarding comprehensive considerations, Deng Zhuolun analyzed how companies can enter overseas markets legally by understanding the industry and choosing the right methods and models. Then, he shared how Chinese companies can develop localized strategies and enhance compliance awareness. Finally, Deng Zhuolun explained the steps for compliance in overseas expansion, including cross-border equity planning, foreign direct investment registration, establishment of overseas entities, brand protection, fund management, and fiscal and tax compliance. He also summarized the development stages and key points for Chinese companies expanding overseas in different countries and regions.
Roundtable Session
During the interactive session, under the leadership of Wu Rangjun, Zhou Wenyi, partner at Longan Law Firm in Guangzhou, Adele, legal director of leading social platform companies, and Winnie, legal director for live streaming companies, discussed the opportunities and challenges for game and social platform companies expanding into the Middle East, practical experiences in the Middle East, and differences in foreign legal work. Adele shared the dimensions of foreign legal support services, using internet thinking to address the challenges and techniques of overseas institutions, and the importance of industry compliance cases. Winnie shared how standardizing texts can improve work efficiency, and how legal and business personnel can develop business thinking and risk awareness. Zhou Wenyi offered unique insights on pre-expansion compliance training for companies, how to choose local partners, and how to understand client needs to adapt to overseas lawyers.
This salon event on “Compliance in the Middle East Expansion of Game and Social Platforms” provided interesting and practical insights and discussions from three aspects: legal and compliance risks, fiscal and tax compliance, and practical compliance experiences. It is important for helping companies develop their markets in the Middle East and improving their compliance levels in that region.