Nature and Name of Representative Office

Representative Office of Foreign ( Regional ) Enterprise refers to representative offices in China established by the foreign (region) enterprises in accordance with the relevant provisions of the rules and regulations.   It engages in the related but non-profit making business activities.   It does not has a legal entity status.   Usually, it conducts market research, trading activities, investment advisory and non-direct profit-making activities, unless otherwise, there is an agreement between countries.

On 10 November 2010, it was passed at the 132nd State Council Executive Meeting that, with effect from 1 March 2011, the “Permanent Representative Offices of Foreign Enterprises Registration Management Regulations” Chapter 2 Article 10:    The name of the Representative Office should consist of the following part and in such order:  The nationality of the foreign enterprise, the Chinese name of the foreign enterprise, name of the city that it stated and the character “Representative Office”, and must not contain the following contents and text:-

  • a) Detrimental to China’s national security or public interest
  • b) International Organization name
  • c) Laws, administrative regulations or the State Council prohibited.   Representative Office should act within the scope of the business activities that it undertakes.

To put it in simple: the name of the Representative Office of Foreign (Region) Enterprise: Nationality of the Foreign Enterprise + Chinese name of the Foreign Enterprise + XX representative office