Knowledge (XXG)

Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise

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359:(SAFE). Dividends cannot be distributed and repatriated overseas if the losses of previous years have not been covered while dividends not distributed in previous years may be distributed together with those of the current year. Repatriation of the registered capital is possible upon dissolution of the WFOE. For most WFOE types, paid-in capital is no longer a part of business registration. When the company is registered, no capital verification report is required either. 25: 261: 375:; something unnecessary with a Representative Office. Normally 15% of the total investment needs to be injected within one month after obtaining the business license starting from 50,000 USD. It is important to note that regional differences in regulations and practical differences in the application of Chinese legislation can also apply. A WFOE comes with more legal rights than a 379:(RO). Consequently, its process of liquidation is more time consuming and expensive when compared to ROs. The liquidation is divided into four steps and might take up to 12 months (notification of the relevant authorities, setting up a liquidation committee, submission of a liquidation report to the authorities, deregistration of the company and closing of the bank account). 268:
WFOEs may be limited-liability companies, as distinct from corporations, partnerships (limited or general), and proprietorships organized by foreign nationals and capitalized with foreign funds. WFOEs are mostly used by foreign companies to start a manufacturing operation in China. This can give
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Another recent variant (the Foreign Invested Commercial Enterprise FICE) of the WFOE has also come into effect, and are used mainly for trading and buying and selling in China. The registered capital requirements for a FICE are lower than for a WFOE as the FICE does not need to fund plant and
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greater control over the business venture in mainland China and avoid a multitude of problematic issues which can potentially result from dealing with a domestic joint venture partner. Such problems often include profit not being maximized, leakage of the foreign firm's
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which allow the importation of components duty-free into China, to then be added to Chinese-made components and the finished product then re-exported. An additional advantage with this model is the ability to claim back
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on the Chinese manufactured component parts upon export. In addition, WFOEs now have the right to distribute their products in mainland China via both wholesale and retail channels.
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The disadvantages of establishing a WFOE include the inability to engage in certain restricted business activities, limited access to government support and a potentially steep
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WFOEs are among the most popular corporate models for non-PRC investors due to their versatility and structural advantages of a representative office or joint venture.
241:. The unique feature of a WFOE is that involvement of a mainland Chinese investor is not required, unlike most other investment vehicles (most notably, a sino-foreign 518: 585: 371:
upon entering the mainland Chinese market. As a WFOE is a type of limited liability company, it requires the injection of foreign funds to make-up the
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WFOEs are often used to produce the foreign firm's product in mainland China for later export to a foreign country, sometimes through the use of
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and the potential for joint venture partners to set up in competition against the foreign firm after siphoning off knowledge and expertise.
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A key feature of a WFOE is that it allows for any profits made in running the business to be repatriated without prior approval of the
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the ability to uphold a company's global strategy free from interference by Chinese partners (as may occur in the case of
142: 67: 434: 238: 593: 475: 625: 501:"What are the types of legal entities in China? - China Company Incorporation — TKEG Expat China Consulting" 237:-based business wherein foreign parties (individuals or corporate entities) can incorporate a foreign-owned 456: 376: 270: 457:"FOREIGN INVESTMENT LAW OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA - 中華人民共和國外商投資法 — TKEG Expat China Consulting" 260: 372: 230: 312: 187: 112: 38:
Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
368: 305: 234: 614: 561:"The Ultimate Guide for China WFOE Formation in 2018 | Shenzhen | Beijing | Shanghai" 242: 194: 119: 519:"How to Structure Your Investments in China - Corporate Establishment Quick Facts" 16:
Legal term in China, a type of enterprise founded in the PRC by foreign investors
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exempt from having to obtain an import/export license for products manufactured;
537:"China Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE) | Shenzhen | Beijing | Shanghai" 329: 435:"Law of the People's Republic of China on wholly foreign-owned enterprises" 536: 388:
Corporate tax: 15% to 25% (depending on the WFOE's location and industry).
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Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (18 October 2000).
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Consumption tax:1% to 56% of sales revenue of goods. Export are exempt.
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total management control within the limitations of the laws of the PRC;
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and other intellectual property, in accordance with international law;
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Foreign Investment Law of the People's Republic of China
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shareholder liability is limited to original investment;
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Land appreciation tax: 30% to 60% of gains on transfer.
199: 124: 476:"How to Read China's New Law on Foreign Investment" 193: 186: 181: 169: 155: 141: 136: 118: 111: 106: 94: 80: 66: 57: 586:"How to close a WFOE and a Representative Office" 345:easier to terminate than an equity joint venture; 391:Income tax: rates up to 35% of business profits. 403:Resources tax: 1% to 20% depending on material. 161: 147: 86: 72: 8: 348:simpler establishment than a joint venture; 264:Basic elements of a WFOE (Click to enlarge) 178: 103: 357:State Administration of Foreign Exchange 425: 321:the ability to both receive and remit 54: 7: 98:Foreign business sole proprietorship 437:. PRC Ministry of Commerce Website 14: 325:to the investor company overseas; 584:Hoffmann, Richard (2016-10-16). 351:full control of human resources. 23: 248:Starting January 2020, per new 219:wholly foreign-owned enterprise 58:Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise 474:Qian Zhou (October 31, 2019). 200: 162: 148: 125: 87: 73: 1: 525:. Asiapedia. 11 January 2018. 173:Foreign investment enterprise 647: 523:Dezan Shira and Associates 289:machinery acquisitions. . 300:Such advantages include: 239:limited liability company 211: 177: 102: 62: 32:This article needs to be 621:Types of business entity 328:increased protection of 225:, sometimes incorrectly 157:Traditional Chinese 137:Alternative Chinese name 82:Traditional Chinese 143:Simplified Chinese 68:Simplified Chinese 631:Foreign trade of China 565:www.set-up-company.com 278:Special Economic Zones 265: 250:Foreign Investment Law 377:Representative Office 271:intellectual property 263: 541:www.pathtochina.com 480:China Briefing News 311:a new, independent 397:Stamp duty tax: 1% 373:registered capital 266: 231:investment vehicle 126:wàishāng dúzī qǐyè 313:legal personality 215: 214: 207: 206: 188:Standard Mandarin 132: 131: 113:Standard Mandarin 53: 52: 638: 605: 604: 602: 601: 592:. Archived from 581: 575: 574: 572: 571: 557: 551: 550: 548: 547: 533: 527: 526: 515: 509: 508: 497: 491: 490: 488: 486: 471: 465: 464: 453: 447: 446: 444: 442: 430: 203: 202: 179: 165: 164: 151: 150: 128: 127: 104: 90: 89: 76: 75: 55: 48: 45: 39: 27: 26: 19: 646: 645: 641: 640: 639: 637: 636: 635: 611: 610: 609: 608: 599: 597: 583: 582: 578: 569: 567: 559: 558: 554: 545: 543: 535: 534: 530: 517: 516: 512: 499: 498: 494: 484: 482: 473: 472: 468: 455: 454: 450: 440: 438: 432: 431: 427: 422: 410: 385: 365: 295: 258: 170:Literal meaning 95:Literal meaning 49: 43: 40: 37: 28: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 644: 642: 634: 633: 628: 626:Trade in China 623: 613: 612: 607: 606: 590:Ecovis Beijing 576: 552: 528: 510: 492: 466: 448: 424: 423: 421: 418: 417: 416: 409: 406: 405: 404: 401: 398: 395: 392: 389: 384: 381: 369:learning curve 364: 361: 353: 352: 349: 346: 343: 340: 337: 326: 319: 316: 309: 306:joint ventures 294: 291: 257: 254: 235:mainland China 229:) is a common 213: 212: 209: 208: 205: 204: 197: 191: 190: 184: 183: 182:Transcriptions 175: 174: 171: 167: 166: 159: 153: 152: 145: 139: 138: 134: 133: 130: 129: 122: 116: 115: 109: 108: 107:Transcriptions 100: 99: 96: 92: 91: 84: 78: 77: 70: 64: 63: 60: 59: 51: 50: 31: 29: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 643: 632: 629: 627: 624: 622: 619: 618: 616: 596:on 2019-06-26 595: 591: 587: 580: 577: 566: 562: 556: 553: 542: 538: 532: 529: 524: 520: 514: 511: 506: 502: 496: 493: 481: 477: 470: 467: 462: 458: 452: 449: 436: 429: 426: 419: 415: 412: 411: 407: 402: 399: 396: 393: 390: 387: 386: 382: 380: 378: 374: 370: 363:Disadvantages 362: 360: 358: 350: 347: 344: 341: 338: 335: 331: 327: 324: 320: 317: 314: 310: 307: 303: 302: 301: 298: 292: 290: 286: 284: 279: 274: 272: 262: 255: 253: 251: 246: 244: 243:joint venture 240: 236: 232: 228: 224: 220: 210: 198: 196: 192: 189: 185: 180: 176: 172: 168: 160: 158: 154: 146: 144: 140: 135: 123: 121: 117: 114: 110: 105: 101: 97: 93: 85: 83: 79: 71: 69: 65: 61: 56: 47: 44:November 2020 35: 30: 21: 20: 598:. Retrieved 594:the original 589: 579: 568:. Retrieved 564: 555: 544:. Retrieved 540: 531: 522: 513: 504: 495: 483:. Retrieved 479: 469: 460: 451: 439:. Retrieved 428: 366: 354: 299: 296: 287: 275: 267: 247: 226: 222: 218: 216: 195:Hanyu Pinyin 120:Hanyu Pinyin 41: 33: 485:22 November 441:15 November 256:Description 615:Categories 600:2019-06-26 570:2016-02-12 546:2017-02-12 505:TKEG Expat 461:TKEG Expat 420:References 330:trademarks 293:Advantages 201:wàizī qǐyè 408:See also 383:Taxation 334:patents 34:updated 88:外商獨資企業 74:外商独资企业 487:2020 443:2013 233:for 227:WOFE 223:WFOE 163:外資企業 149:外资企业 323:RMB 283:VAT 245:). 617:: 588:. 563:. 539:. 521:. 503:. 478:. 459:. 332:, 308:); 217:A 603:. 573:. 549:. 507:. 489:. 463:. 445:. 315:; 221:( 46:) 42:( 36:.

Index

Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
investment vehicle
mainland China
limited liability company
joint venture
Foreign Investment Law

intellectual property
Special Economic Zones
VAT
joint ventures
legal personality
RMB
trademarks
patents
State Administration of Foreign Exchange
learning curve
registered capital
Representative Office
Foreign Investment Law of the People's Republic of China
"Law of the People's Republic of China on wholly foreign-owned enterprises"
"FOREIGN INVESTMENT LAW OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA - 中華人民共和國外商投資法 — TKEG Expat China Consulting"
"How to Read China's New Law on Foreign Investment"

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