在第135届广交会上，许多参展商、采购商等都对如何在中国设立企业非常感兴趣。
At the 135th Canton Fair, many exhibitors, buyers and others were very interested in how to set up an enterprise in China.
What is foreign-investment enterprises
外商投资企业一般是有限责任公司，股东只需承担有限的公司债务，可以是任何非中国籍的自然人或者法人。外商投资公司必须委任最少1个董事 (执行董事)，不必常驻中国大陆。董事可以兼任法定代表人及总经理，如设立董事会，必须委任3-13名的董事。外商投资公司必须委任至少 1 名监事作为公司监察人。监事可以是任何国籍的自然人，不必常驻中国大陆。董事、总经理及法定代表人均不可出任监事一职。香港、澳门和台湾的居民或公司均视为境外投资者。
Foreign-investment enterprises are generally limited liability companies. The shareholders can be any non-Chinese natural or legal person, and only need to bear limited company debts. Foreign-investment enterprises must appoint at least one director (executive director), who need not be residential in mainland of China. The director can also be the legal representative and the general manager. If the board of directors is established, 3-13 directors must be appointed. Foreign-investment enterprises must appoint at least 1 supervisor as the company’s supervisor. The Supervisor can be a natural person of any nationality and need not be residential in Mainland of China. Any of he director, general manager or legal representative can be the supervisor of the same enterprise. The residents or companies of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are considered as foreign investors.
Classification of Foreign-investment enterprises
Production-type foreign-owned enterprises – only production activities are permitted;
Consulting service-type foreign-owned enterprises – engaged in consulting service-type activities;
（3）商业型外资企业——从事贸易、批发、零售或分销活动。
Commercial-type foreign-owned enterprises – engaged in trading, wholesale, retail or distribution activities.
How to set up Foreign-investment enterprises in the Chinese Mainland
首先，要查看投资的业务是否被允许。《中华人民共和国外商投资法》第二十八条规定外商投资准入负面清单规定禁止投资的领域，外国投资者不得投资。外商投资准入负面清单规定限制投资的领域，外国投资者进行投资应当符合负面清单规定的条件。外商投资准入负面清单以外的领域，按照内外资一致的原则实施管理。故在外国投资者决定在中国设立外商投资企业之前，应该检查准备在中国投资的业务是否受到现行《外商投资准入特别管理措施（负面清单）（2021年版）》的限制。
Firstly, check whether the business of investment is permitted. Article 28 of the Foreign Investment Law of the People’s Republic of China stipulates that Foreign investors shall not invest in the areas where investment is prohibited under the negative list for the admission of foreign investment. Foreign investors shall meet the conditions set forth in the negative list for the admission of foreign investment to invest in the areas where investment is restricted under the negative list. Management of foreign investment in the areas beyond the negative list shall be implemented in accordance with the principle of equality between domestic and foreign investment.Therefore, before foreign investors decides to establish a wholly foreign-owned enterprise in China, they should check whether the business it intends to invest in China is restricted by the effective Special Administrative Measures (Negative List) for the Access of Foreign Investment (2021).
Secondly, the preparatory materials required for the establishment of Foreign-investment enterprises are:
Establishment of the company name and notice of pre-approval of company name for registration;
（3）投资者的主体资格证明或自然人身份证明（以外商是英国公司为例，外商如果是以英国公司的名义在内地投资，都需要公证英国公司的相关文件。应提前了解当地机关的要求，不同地方的收证机关对公证文件的要求可能会有所不同）；
Proof of the investor’s principal qualification or natural person’s identity (for example, if the investor is a British company, it needs to notarise the relevant documents of the British company. And also, the requirements of the local authorities should be known in advance, and the requirements of for notarial documents local authorities may vary from place to place.
A copy of the legal representative’s appointment documents and identity certificate;
（5）备案公司地址，需租赁办公室并向政府备案，获得合法可用的公司注册地址，住所（经营场所）租赁合同/证明；
The investors need to rent an office and file relevant documents to the local authorities for records to obtain a legally available address for company registration, residence (business premises) lease contract/certificate;
（6）要求的其他材料（如载明外国公司存款余额及信誉状况的资信证明文件、财务审计报告、董事会成员及监事会成员名单及其身份证明复印件等）。
Other materials required (such as credit documents setting out the balance of deposits and creditworthiness of the foreign company, financial audit reports, lists of members of the Board of Directors and Supervisory Board and copies of their identity certificates, etc.).
（1）公司名称核准 Company name approval
公司名称应包含区域、字号和行业类别。经核准后，名称保留有效期为一年。
The company name shall contain the region, font size and industry category. After approval, the name reservation is valid for one year.
（2）完成商务备案 Completion of business filing
（3）办理营业执照【五证合一，包括营业执照、税务登记证、组织机构代码证、社会保险登记证、统计登记证】
Apply for business licence [five certificates in one, including business licence, tax registration certificate, organization code certificate, social insurance registration certificate, statistical registration certificate]
（4）办理刻章备案For seal engraving record
办理公章、财务章、法定代表人章的刻印，并需到公安局申请备案，方可生效。公章是公司的法定代表人签名之后的证明，而财务章则以确保账目真实有效。印章在中国与西方的签名具有同等的效力。
For the official seal, financial seal, legal representative seal engraving, the enterprise need to apply to the Public Security Bureau for the record before the seals take effect. The official seal is the company’s legal representative after the signature of the proof, while the financial seal to ensure that the accounts are true and legally liable. The seal has the equal effect in China as the signature in the West.
（5）办理税务登记并核准税种、税票Apply for tax registration and approval of tax types and tax stamps
需聘请会计和出纳，并进行税务登记并安排相关实名验证。
The enterprise need to hire an accountant and a cashier, register for tax purposes and arrange for the verification of your real name.
（6）开立银行账户和外汇登记Open a bank account and foreign exchange registration
开户材料：营业执照正本原件、公章、财务章、法人私章、注册位址的租赁合同、法人有效证件原件、财务负责人有效证件原件。
Account opening materials: the original business licence, official seal, financial seal, legal person seal, registered address of the lease contract, the original valid documents of the legal person, the original valid documents of the person in charge of finance.
（7）办理进出口权申请（如需要）Application for import and export rights (if necessary)
如内地的企业计划有进出口业务的话，需要向海关等另外申请登记。
If the chinese mainland enterprises plan to do import and export business, they need to apply for registration with the Customs and Excise Department separately.
It is also necessary to go to the Human Resources and Social Security Department for social security and other related procedures.
需要注意的是，以上需要准备的材料、流程和程序会因地区和实际情况的不同而稍有变化，如某些地区需要申请电子口岸卡、向外汇管理局备案、进出口贸易许可等，具体可咨询当地的工商部门。
It should be noted that the above materials to be prepared, processes and procedures will vary slightly depending on the region and the actual situation, such as the foreign investors need to apply for the electronic port card, filing with the foreign exchange bureau, import and export trade licences, etc. at certain regions , the details of which can be consulted with the local industry and commerce departments.
·广东天商律师事务所青年律师工作委员会副主任兼秘书长、国际商事仲裁中心副主任
毕业于香港城市大学仲裁与争议解决专业（LLMArbDR），英语、粤语可作为工作语言，获得广州市律协颁发的第一届广州国际商事仲裁模拟仲裁庭大赛（全英）优胜奖。余艺雯律师是广东省涉外律师新锐人才库成员，擅长各类民事、商事争议解决案件，能把握案情关键，熟悉了解民商事仲裁流程，推进仲裁程序进行；审核、完善合同条款、提示合作风险，为公司提供法律风险综合分析，解答公司运营中的法律问题，有效控制公司经营风险，为多个企事业单位提供优秀法律顾问服务。
周艳艳律师现任天商所劳动法律事务部主任，毕业于广东外语外贸大学，入选广东省涉外律师新锐人才库，具有从事涉外法律业务的丰富经验和法律英语能力。周艳艳律师擅长劳动人事争议、企业法律顾问、民商事诉讼及涉外法律服务，在劳动人事领域有非常深入的研究。执业以来，周律师为多家知名外企、国企、民企、社会团体及个人提供常年法律顾问、劳资专项法律顾问和仲裁诉讼服务，工作经验非常丰富。
周艳艳律师参与、代理的案件和项目曾获广州市律师协会颁发的“业务成果奖”“维护社会稳定奖”“社会责任贡献奖”等荣誉；参与编写的《HR法律实战案例课》获得了广州市律师协会颁发的“理论成果奖”，并参与编写了《劳动争议高频问题裁判规则与类案集成》。此外，周艳艳律师被广州市律师协会评为“优秀公益律师”，还荣获了广州市律师协会颁发的“第一届广州国际商事仲裁模拟仲裁庭大赛”优胜奖。
周律师曾服务的客户主要包括：广东省总工会、广州市人社局、广东省企业联合会、中国移动、中移在线、广中医一附院、奥园集团、长隆集团、铂涛集团、屈臣氏集团、轻出集团、钰顺集团、乐金公司、特百惠公司、丰田通商、白马广告、西克公司、樱泰公司等。
