Types of Corporations

Equity Joint Venture (EJY)

• The foreign investors will have a holding of at least 25% in the Chinese company.
• The registered share capital must cover a specific percentage of the total investment in the company. This percentage varies between 33% (an investment of over $ 36 million) and 70% (an investment of under $ 3 million).

A Joint Cooperative Venture (CJV)

• A Joint Cooperative Venture is usually set up for a specific project or partnership for a period of time that is defined in advance.

Wholly Foreign Owned Venture (WFO)

• There are no minimum or maximum limits regarding the amount of the foreign investment.
• In recent years over 65% of foreign investments in China have been in the form of a WFO, mainly because of the absence of a minimum investment requirement.

Chinese Holding Company (CHC)

• This is intended for a company that is interested in consolidating a number of investments in China to one body.
• There are legal requirements in China regarding the credit rating of a foreign investment in a CHC. The total value of the investor's assets and his investments in a company in China must be in excess of the legally defined minimum.

Joint Stock Company

• The minimum registered share capital is CNY 30 million. The minimum for a company traded on the Stock Exchange is CNY 50 million.
• The foreign investors' share must be at least 25% of the registered capital.

Branch

• At present, only foreign companies in the financial and services sector, subject to the restrictions specified in Chinese law, may set up a branch in China.

Representative Office (RO)

• A representative office is a type of operation with low financial expenses.
• The aim of the RO is the creation of a presence in China and promotion of contacts/supervision/management investigations in China.
• The RO may not issue accounts to the Chinese market for sales and services in China.