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Setting up a Representative Office in China

Posted on October 25, 2013 by China Briefing
By Eunice Ku
Oct. 25 When a foreign company decides to try and sell to the Chinese market, there are several options
working through an agency or distributor, or registering a representative office (RO). Whereas an agent or
distributor may have limited loyalty or little interest in end-user satisfaction, an RO is an effective way for
foreign investors to get a feel for the Chinese market while demonstrating commitment to the market. It is the
easiest type of foreign investment structure to set up and, unlike the wholly foreign-owned enterprise, has no
registered capital requirements.
The defining characteristic of an RO is its limited business scope an RO is generally forbidden from engaging
in any profit-seeking activities, and can only legally engage in:

Market research, display and publicity activities that relate to company product or services; and

Contact activities that relate to company product sales or service provision and domestic procurement
and investment.

While an RO is relatively easy to establish and maintain, they are fairly limited in terms of operational scope

since they cannot actually issue invoices (i.e., fapiao, the basis for obtaining tax deductions in China) or sign
contracts.

An RO has no legal personality, meaning it does not possess the capacity for civil rights and conduct, cannot
independently assume civil liability, and is limited in its hiring ability. Chinese staff working for an RO, although
not limited in number, must be employed through a human resources agency that will sign a contract with the
RO on the one hand and with the Chinese staff on the other in order to ensure social security and housing
fund contributions are paid on a regular basis. No more than four foreign employees can be hired per RO.
Foreign staff working for ROs should have an employment relationship with the parent company abroad, and
any disputes should be settled under the laws of that country.
From 2010 on, companies that intend to register a RO must be at least two years old. According to the revised
Administrative Regulation on the Registration of Permanent Representative Organizations of Foreign
Enterprises which came into effect in July, 2013, the registration certificate for an RO is valid as long as its
foreign parent company legally exists.
ROs are required to submit an annual report between March 1 and June 30 every year providing information
on the legal status and standing information of the foreign enterprise, ongoing business activities of the RO,
and payment balance audited by their accounting agencies. The registration authorities will issue fines if the
RO fails to provide such reports on time or if it provides false information.
ROs are usually taxed on gross expenses with the overall tax burden around 11.75 percent of total monthly
expenses; however, these rates may be increased by the relevant tax bureau according to the industry. If the
chief representative is a foreign national, whether they stay in China or not, they shall be subject to individual
tax based on the income derived from the RO.

Portions of this article came from the October 2013 issue of China Briefing Magazine, titled Selling

to China. In this issue of China Briefing Magazine, we demystify some complexities of conducting business in
China by introducing the main certification requirements for importing goods into the country; the basics of
setting up a representative office; as well as the structure and culture of State-owned enterprise in China.
Finally, we also summarize some of the export incentives available in several key Western countries.