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DOING BUSINESS IN CHINA: MODES OF ENTRY Prepared by The JLJ Group – Solutions for China Entry & Growth Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 1 AGENDA • The Big Picture • Modes of entry in China Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 2 CHINA: A CONTINENT MORE THAN A COUNTRY Area 9.560 M sq km Population 1.3 B GDP¹ (’08) US$ 4.4 Trillion Administration 33 (+1) administrative areas (656 cities, 48000 districts) 22 Provinces (not including Taiwan) 2 Special Administrative Regions – Hong Kong, Macau ~Km 3500 5 Autonomous Regions Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Tibet, Xinjiang Company 4 Municipalities – Beijing Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjing Language Mandarin Chinese+ 7 major dialects and 80+ minority languages ~ Km 5,000 Hierarchical government structure: central – region – province – municipal – district – local Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 3 CHINA, KEY GLOBAL DESTINATION FOR FDI Utilized FDI (USD Billion) 100 80 60 40 20 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 0 Source: National Bureau of Statistics FDI in 2008: 92.4bn ~24% increase over 2007 – however growth slowed at the end of the year (-14 % in Nov. y-o-y) Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 4 THE PACE OF CHANGE IN CHINA… Pudong, Shanghai 1990 Pudong, Shanghai 2008 …is striking and far outpaces that of any developed country Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 5 DOING BUSINESS IN CHINA Snapshot • Opportunities in China do exist - country has been opening up, growth rates are impressive, population is getting wealthier, FDI have been pouring in… • However, competition is fierce; China market should be approached gradually, un-emotionally and with realistic expectations • Long-term vision is a must, quick profits are unlikely – time, money and effort are necessary • There is no such a thing as one China market, rather several regional/ provincial/ local markets • Applying the logic and mindset of the mother country would not work - gaining local knowledge of business environment and practices is crucial • Conducting proper due diligence, developing a sound strategy, and finding the right partners may also be key success factors Opportunities in China do exist – proper preparation and planning are key Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 6 AGENDA • The Big Picture • Modes of entry in China Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 7 MODES OF ENTRY Snapshot • Business setup process difficult for foreign companies to navigate due to complex bureaucracy and regulations - laws & regulations constantly changing • Regional differences may exist; national regulations may differ from local applications • There are three main legal setup options in China – Rep. office, WFOE and JV, with different capital requirements and business scopes • NO one solution for all companies; solution depends on specific company’s business and objectives for China • When deciding on the optimal legal entity, look for advice and assistance from professional service providers – getting it right from the start is key Key to leverage reliable service providers and get it right from the start Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 8 NATURE OF THE INVESTMENT Foreign Investment Catalog Status of industry/activity Description Examples Encouraged • Special incentives possible • Usually high-tech or agriculture industries • Manufacture of high-performance welding robots • Operation of nurseries Permitted • All activities not mentioned in catalog are permitted • But may be difficult to get approval for uncommon activities • All sectors not mentioned in catalog Restricted • Special approval required – usually JV partner necessary • Usually are protected sectors • Production of cigarettes • Operation of oil refineries • Media production Prohibited • Activities are disallowed • Harms national interests or environmentally damaging • Arms manufacturing • Operation of gaming industry When considering setting up in China, first step is to check the catalog Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 9 FOREIGN INVESTMENT CATALOG Legal Set up Options Investment Restrictions Setup Options Description Encouraged Representative Office (RO) • Permitted Restricted Prohibited Liaison office for parent company Foreign Invested Enterprises (FIE’s) Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE) • Service WFOEs • FICE • Manufacturing WFOE •Trading WFOE • 100% invested and owned by foreign entities • Capital investment from both foreign and Chinese entities • Partnership between foreign and Chinese entities Equity Joint Venture (EJV) Cooperative Joint Venture (CJV) Allowed business scope depends on specific sector and type of entity Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 10 NATURE OF BUSINESS Import/Export Rights Domestic Distribution Service Activities Capital Requirements Rep. Office Service WFOE Manufacturing WFOE FICE WFOE’s provide greater flexibility for future operations Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 11 Registration Complexity CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS Injection Methods Total Investment Less than 3 million Between 3 and 10 million Between 10 and 30 million Between 30 and 36 million Registered Capital No less than 70% of total investment, with a minimum of ~15,000 No less than 50% of total investment with a minimum of 2.1 million if total investment is below 4.2 million No less than 40% of total investment with a minimum of 5 million if total investment is below 12.5 million • Complete injection within 6 months -or• Capital contributed in installments: 20% within first 3 months with the remaining injected within 2 years Currency: US Dollars No less than 1/3 of total investment with a minimum of 12 million Investment capital ratio depends on total investment Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 12 CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS Investment ratio example Registered Capital Example 1 Equity (100%) Total Investment Registered Capital Example 2 Equity (70%) Debt (30%) Total Investment Shareholder loans are an alternative means of profit repatriation Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 13 WHAT ABOUT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS ? Latest Trends • The economy slowdown has spurred local governments to provide additional incentives for establishing FIE within their jurisdiction • • • • • • Recognizing encouraged statuses before official approval Reduced tax rates for local portion of corporate income tax 2/3 Tax holidays Reduced fees for land-use rights Subsidized housing However, local incentive programs, once secured, may be tenuous at best, especially once the economy rebounds However, special Incentives should not be the only priority in choosing a location Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 14 BUSINESS REGISTRATION PROCESS WFOE Example Company’s Chinese Name Approval Stage I: Licensing Approval to Establish Company Registration of Business License Filing and Carving Seals* Enterprise Code Certification** Foreign Exchange Approval Stage II: PostLicensing Registration with Tax Bureau Statistics Bureau Registration† Open RMB & Foreign Currency Bank Accounts Stage III: PostCapital Injection Capital Verification Update Business License A complex process… but it can be done! Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 15 *Official company stamps required for many business and banking transactions in China ** Equivalent to a personal identification number for the licensed company •† This process can be completed at any stage following foreign exchange approval and registration with the tax bureau FINAL CONSIDERATIONS Be clear on objectives, level of commitment, and time horizon for China… Things will take longer than you expect, patience (and persistence) are a must… Be ready for steep learning curves and, for sure, some surprises... Do your due diligence, biz environment is complex yet not impossible to grasp… If you are considering a JV, make sure you have compelling reasons for it … Get advice / support from professional service providers… China’s business environment is complex – yet NOT impossible to grasp Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 16 ABOUT THE JLJ GROUP • One-stop service provider assisting foreign companies to enter & grow in China • One of very few firms in China legally licensed to provide true fullpackage services • Served 400+ clients from 30+ countries – from Government organizations to SMEs to Fortune 500 companies • Offices in USA and in China – providing end-to-end service Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 17 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! The JLJ Group SHANGHAI OFFICE Shanghai Suite 603-605 Oriental Center 699 Nanjing West Road Shanghai, 200041 China Tel: +86 21 5211 0068 Fax:+86 21 5211 0069 BEIJING OFFICE Suite 2002, Building 1 Blue Castle International Center 3 Xi Dawanglu Road, Chaoyang District Beijing, 100026China Tel: +86 10 65820268 Fax:+86 10 65820251 Beijing BOSTON OFFICE 77 Martin Street, # 37 Cambridge, MA 02138 USA Tel: +1 857 636 2596 Email: [email protected] Website: www.jljgroup.com Copyright @ The JLJ Group. All rights reserved. May 2009 18