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Young Marco
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Mapping China: Music - Contracts, Permits & Visa
In this section I will say a few practical things about the interaction with Chinese companies, the permit system and visa applications. In the next section I will discuss regulations, policies, and the role of the state more generally.
The first thing to know is that China is not governed by rule of law. State power can manifest itself in unexpected (i.e. unbound) ways. At the same time China can be unruly and free for all. Power is decentralized and generally there is a huge gap between the letter of the law and actual practice, as for instance China’s weak enforcement of its generally tough IP laws shows (see below).
Also for contracts between private companies, people and their relations (guanxi) are more important than rigid rules. The flexible and solution-oriented approach of Chinese society is often refreshing, but it can also be frustrating too. Be warned.
