China’s Privacy Law Adds to International Compliance Patchwork

China’s new Personal Information Protection Law imposes additional requirements for multinational companies in the region, adding legal and regulatory challenges for businesses already grappling with U.S. state-level and European privacy regimes.

The law, which takes effect Nov. 1, requires businesses to conduct impact assessments and honor consumer data rights requests. It may complicate cross-border data transfers, attorneys say.

“If you’re an international business and want to move data in and out of China, you need to think deeply about this law,” said Scott Warren, a Tokyo- and Shanghai-based partner at Squire Patton Boggs LLP. “The penalties are significant, and there’s ...