Legal Centre · Mainland China
Doing Business in China - Legal Centre
A practical starting point for foreign investors, companies and China management teams. Use the topic map to identify the workstream, then confirm current rules and local implementation for the project.
Legally reviewed by Peter YeChoose a business workstream
Enter and structure
Market entry and foreign investment; corporate governance and company control.
Build operations
Employment and immigration; tax, customs and foreign exchange; intellectual property and technology.
Manage regulation
Data, cybersecurity and AI; investigations and regulatory compliance.
Resolve and exit
Arbitration, litigation, enforcement, debt recovery and company liquidation.
Core guides
Selected substantive resources with stable canonical routes, current English presentation and recent editorial or legal review.
Foreign Investment Market Entry
A 2026 roadmap for access, entity choice, licensing and corporate compliance.
Legally reviewedOutbound Investment and Foreign Exchange
PRC ODI structuring, approvals, registration and remittance workstreams.
Choosing a China Entity
Compare WFOE, representative office, joint venture and VIE routes against the actual project.
Hiring Your First Employee
A practical employment setup roadmap.
Cross-Border Data Transfer
Move from data mapping to the appropriate transfer pathway.
VAT for Foreign Businesses
Orient the tax workstream before transaction and invoicing decisions.
China Intellectual Property
Patents, trademarks, copyright and enforcement.
Company Liquidation
Plan an orderly exit and identify approval, creditor and workforce issues.
2026 FDI, expat & compliance hubs
Decision clusters for headquarters legal, China GMs, and foreign professionals.
WFOE operations & control
Capital clocks, chop SOP, legal representative, JV deadlock, exit economics.
UpdatedProfit remittance · WHT/DTA/TP
Dividends, tax evidence, treaty beneficial ownership, transfer-pricing interfaces.
Work status & M-visa risks
Work Permit classes, illegal employment, overstay, Five-Star Card.
Expat individual income tax
Residence, six-year rule, allowances, departure clearance.
HR/CRM data export
PIPL operating checklist for global systems.
Director exit ban & criminal red lines
Travel restrictions, DUI, drugs, personal liability.
Foreigner property sale & remittance
Tax clearance and outbound wires.
NNN vs NDA · OEM trademarks
Factory contracts and customs IP risk.
Recently updated guide collections
Explore coordinated 2026 resources for cross-border business, China operations, foreign professionals and compliance teams.
Outbound and cross-border
Structuring, investment filings, overseas employment, data transfers, sanctions screening and foreign exchange.
Expat work status
Work Permit classification, residence status, employer changes, overstay exposure and permanent residence.
WFOE operations and control
Capital contribution, company chops, legal representatives, deadlock, profit remittance and exit planning.
Expat individual income tax
Tax residence, the six-year rule, allowances, worldwide income exposure and departure clearance.
HR and CRM data compliance
Practical PIPL controls for employee and customer data shared between China operations and global systems.
Find the right counsel
Directory matches do not establish authorship or review of the resources above. Select counsel for the relevant city, regulated activity and legal workstream.
General information only, not legal advice. Last editorial review: 5 August 2026.