Guides & Insights
Practical English articles on setting up and operating a business in China, trademarks, employment, contracts, licensing, and compliance.
Published articles
Recent notes on setting up and operating a business in China.
These articles are short, practical, and written for foreign companies that need an English-first view of PRC setup, contracts, trademarks, hiring, compliance, and dispute risk.
What employment documents a foreign-owned trading company should line up before hiring in China
The right employment setup keeps management control visible before the China trading team begins acting for the business in China.
hire employees in ChinaChina employment documentsforeign employer China
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What a foreign-owned trading company should verify before signing an NNN agreement with a China manufacturer
An NNN document only helps if it matches the real factory chain, the real recipient, and the real misuse risk facing a foreign-owned trading company.
NNN agreement ChinaChina manufacturer NDAChina product drawing protection
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What a foreign-owned trading company should check before signing a China distributor agreement
A distributor agreement should do more than open territory. It should keep pricing, brand use, payment control, and exit leverage in the right place for a foreign-owned trading company.
China distribution agreementChina commercial contract reviewappoint China distributor
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How to protect the Chinese brand version of a foreign-owned trading company in China
The Chinese market may identify a foreign-owned trading company through a Chinese brand version long before the foreign team has settled it internally.
Chinese brand versionproduct portfolioChina trademark strategy
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Why a foreign-owned trading company should file China trademarks before launch
A China launch moves more safely when the trademark path is set before the foreign-owned trading company hands brand visibility to local channels or counterparties.
China trademark filingproduct portfolioChinese brand protection
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How to set China legal representative and chop control for a foreign-owned trading company
The right legal representative and chop-control path should support the real China workflow of a foreign-owned trading company, not just the registration file.
China legal representativeChina chop controlPRC company governance
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How to plan PRC registered capital and launch timing for a foreign-owned trading company
Registered capital questions matter most when they are tied back to launch timing, headcount, and the real operating pace of a foreign-owned trading company in China.
PRC registered capitalChina launch timingforeign company setup China
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How to choose the right China market-entry structure for a foreign-owned trading company
Foreign companies move faster once they compare control, cost, and launch speed before choosing the China structure for a foreign-owned trading company.
China market entry structureforeign-owned trading companyset up a company in China
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Which PRC compliance controls foreign companies should build in the first operating quarter
The first operating quarter in China is usually when document discipline, approval controls, and recurring compliance steps either become stable or start drifting quickly.
PRC compliance controlsChina operating complianceforeign company compliance China
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What to check before signing a China distribution agreement
A China distribution agreement should do more than open territory. It should keep pricing, customer access, payment control, and exit leverage in the right place before launch.
China distribution agreementChina commercial contract reviewappoint China distributor
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What foreign companies should line up before hiring employees in China
The best early hiring plans in China start with reporting lines, work rules, approval paths, and evidence discipline before the first local employee is onboarded.
hire employees in ChinaChina employment documentsforeign employer China
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Why foreign brands should file China trademarks before appointing a distributor
Trademark timing in China is usually a leverage issue before it becomes a dispute issue, especially when a distributor or local channel partner is about to use the brand first.
China trademark filingChina distributor trademark riskChinese brand protection
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How foreign companies should choose a China market-entry structure before launch
Foreign companies move faster in China when they compare control, cost, contract pressure, and launch speed before they let the first filing step drive the whole strategy.
China market entry structureset up a company in Chinaforeign company launch China
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