When registering a company in Hong Kong, it is generally not mandatory to specify the scope of business, but this does not mean the company can engage in any business activity. This article outlines four common types of businesses that require additional licensing, the applicable scenarios for trust or company service provider licenses and moneylender licenses, the triggering conditions for a money services operator license, and the two most common regulatory red lines that cross-border businesses tend to cross. The information is subject to the announcements made by the relevant Hong Kong regulatory authorities.

Material matters concerning Hong Kong companies must be formalized through board resolutions or shareholders’ meeting resolutions; these resolutions and meeting minutes serve as the core documentation for banks, auditors, and tax authorities to verify the company’s actual operations. This article outlines which matters must be addressed through board resolutions and which fall under shareholder resolutions, as well as the respective roles of resolutions and meeting minutes, their signing and filing requirements, and the practical consequences of missing resolutions during bank account opening and audits.

Statutory holidays, sick leave, and maternity leave for employees in Hong Kong each have their own distinct calculation rules, and severance pay and long-service payments upon termination of employment are often confused with one another. This article outlines the number of days and eligibility requirements for various types of leave, the payment rates for sick pay, the current arrangements for maternity pay, as well as the conditions for receiving the two types of termination compensation and the rules regarding non-duplication of benefits. The information is subject to the announcements made by the Hong Kong Labor Department.

Hong Kong is a free port, and the vast majority of imported and exported goods are not subject to customs duties; however, this does not mean there is no obligation to declare them. Except in cases of exemption, after goods are imported or exported, a customs declaration must be submitted to customs within the statutory time limit, and trade declaration fees must be paid; Four categories of dutiable goods—alcohol, tobacco, hydrocarbon oils, and methanol—are subject to separate licensing and tax regimes. This article outlines declaration obligations, common instances of under-declaration, and a compliance checklist for cross-border sellers.

One of the most common intellectual property challenges faced by cross-border sellers is when a product that’s selling exceptionally well on Amazon, Takealot, or Meikeduo is targeted by copycats who use similar-looking products to undercut prices and steal orders. Hong Kong’s Registered Designs Ordinance provides up to 25 years of protection for a product’s shape, configuration, patterns, and ornamentation, complementing the roles of trademarks and patents. This article outlines the scope of application, key registration points, and the optimal sequencing of protection strategies for cross-border sellers regarding these three types of intellectual property rights.