Documentation and translations required to set up a company in China – 2025 edition!

China’s economy continues to grow steadily, outpacing many other major economies with its 4.6% GDP growth in 2024, faster than the U.S. (2.5%) and Eurozone (0.8%) during the same period.

This economic growth, coupled with business-friendly reforms are once again attracting more foreigners to set up companies in the country.

HI-COM has recently received a large number of enquiries from companies looking to increase their presence in China, be it by setting up a manufacturing base in the country, or by attempting to break into Chinese markets in their respective fields.

They have specifically reached out to us to find out the exact documentation they need to submit to the Chinese authorities. Therefore this article will focus mainly on the documentation you need to set up a company in China. For more detailed advice, we recommend taking a look at the guide here.

1. Determining your Business Structure

Foreign investors in China can choose from several legal entity types, such as a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE), a Joint Venture (JV) and a Representative Office (RO).

1.1. Documents required:

 ❌ None at this stage

2. Company Name Pre-Approval

Once you have decided on the type of legal entity you wish to set up, it’s time to submit a name for your company in China, for pre-approval. This Company Name Pre-Approval Application must be submitted to the Administration for Market Regulation (AMR).

The name must follow the structure: “City + Brand Name + Industry + Entity Type”. For example, we registered our company as “Shanghai HI-COM Consulting Co., Ltd (上海 嗨酷 商务咨询有限公司 ).

2.1. Documents required

• Three proposed company names.
• The investor’s passport or company registration certificate (if a corporate entity).

2.2. Translation Needed:

If the investor’s passport or company registration certificate are not in Chinese, a translation by a certified agency is required.

On the subject of names, you may have a brand that you wish to launch in China. Our articles here and here about choosing a suitable brand name for your products is a great place to start!

3. Business Registration & Licensing

Once the name has been pre-approved, the process for registering and licensing your company in China can begin.

3.1. Documents required

• The Articles of Association of your company (known in Chinese as公司章程). This document outlines your company’s business scope, management structure, and profit-sharing methods You must first ensure that they comply with Chinese law.
• Proof of registered address (known in Chinese as租赁合同 + 房产证复印件). This address must be at a commercially registered property – residential addresses are not accepted.
• Documents of all key personnel:

• The passports or IDs of the shareholders, legal representatives, finance managers, supervisors, liaison persons, and the investor’s controller must be submitted. Non-Chinese nationals
• For corporate investors, they must provide a Certificate of Incorporation (which must be notarized and legalized in their home country beforehand), as well as a Board Resolution approving the investment.

3.2. Translations Needed:

If the above documents are not in Chinese, they must be translated into Chinese by a certified agency, and must include the agency’s stamps as well as it translation statement (see example below or learn more about it here).

4. Obtain your Chinese Business License

After approval of the registration and the company name, the new Chinese business license may be collected from the AMR. The license will also include your company’s Unified Social Credit Code

5. Register your new Company Seal

Your new company seals (公章, 财务章, 法人章), must be registered at the Public Security Bureau (PSB). Seal are legally binding in China, and are used for official documents such as contracts, and banking documentation.

5.1. Documents required

• The company’s new Chinese Business License (see step 4)
• The Legal Representative’s ID

6. Opening a Chinese bank Account

All companies must open a Corporate Bank Account (基本户) at a Chinese bank.

6.1 Documents required

• The company’s new Chinese Business License (see step 4)
• Company seals
• The Legal Representative’s ID

Please note that some banks may require additional bank statements. If such statements are in another language, they will also require a translation into Chinese by a certified agency.

7. Tax & Social Security Registration

The company must register with the Tax Bureau within 30 days of obtaining the Business License. This will enable the company to issue offical Chinese VAT invoices (known locally as ‘fapiao’), and register employees for social insurance & housing fund.

7.1. Documents required

• The company’s new Chinese Business License (see step 4)
• The company’s new Chinese bank details (see step 6)
• The Financial Officer’s ID

8. Foreign Exchange & Capital Injection

Companies must register with the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) for foreign capital transfers.

8.1. Documents required

• The company’s new Chinese Business License (see step 4)
• A an approval letter from the company’s Chinese bank
• Investment certificate (if applicable)

Please note that additional licenses may be required, depending on the industry of the company and the services it provides.

If you have any further questions about the documents required for setting up a company in China, or about the process/requirements for translation, then don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. We would be delighted to help!