Foreigners usually start either a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) or a joint venture; most choose WFOE for a more direct process.
Steps: name approval, commerce filing, business registration, seal, bank account, tax registration, foreign-exchange registration. About 1-2 months, varying by city.
Registered capital: free trade zones use a subscription system with no minimum, but operations still consider verification, FX and bank requirements. Keep the business scope specific.
Founder documents: notarised passport translation, personal credit statement, and a registered address (commercial or agency address).
FAQs: One person? Yes (one-person LLC). Local partner needed? No. Repatriating profits? Via banks after proper tax filing.
Advice: use a professional agency and foreign-related lawyer, usually a few thousand RMB; free trade zones (Shanghai, Hainan, Qianhai) are more flexible.
