Representative office
China Representative Office Registration
A representative office (RO) is the simplest way for a foreign company to establish a legal presence in China — for market research, liaison and brand promotion. It is fast and low-cost, but it cannot conduct for-profit business.
What a representative office can do
- Market research
- Liaison with suppliers, customers and partners
- Product and brand promotion
- Quality control and sourcing coordination
What a representative office cannot do
- Sign sales contracts or invoices customers
- Earn revenue or make a profit in China
- Import/export for its own trading
- Directly employ staff (uses a labour dispatch agency)
If you plan to sell, invoice or hire directly in China, a WFOE is usually the better choice. Many companies start with a representative office and convert to a WFOE later.
Requirements
- A parent company that has operated for 2+ years
- Legalized incorporation documents of the parent
- A chief representative and a registered address
- Bank reference and parent-company documents
Establish your presence in China
Whether a representative office or a WFOE, we'll set it up correctly and keep it compliant.