The outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has affected many businesses in China. Since the start of the outbreak in December 2019 through this date, more than 80,000 cases including more than 3,000 deaths have been confirmed in Mainland China.

To combat the epidemic, central and local governments have announced a variety of regulations and administrative measures, including holiday extensions, quarantines, temporary business shutdowns, city lockdowns and travel bans. Many companies have suffered substantial disruptions to their operations and face novel legal challenges arising from the epidemic, including the performance of commercial contracts, employment-related matters, occupational health and safety, and protection of personal information. We will discuss in this client alert some of these new legal challenges encountered by businesses in China.