By Gregory Sy由格雷戈里石蔭

While domestic companies have a wide range of alternatives in establishing business operations in China, foreign companies are more restricted, with the most common business vehicles for foreign investors being: 而國內企業具有廣泛的替代品在建立業務在中國的業務，外國公司更受限制，最常見的商用車輛，為外國投資者正在：

- Representative Offices -代表辦事處
- Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprises -外商獨資企業
- Joint Ventures (Cooperative and Contractual) -合資（合作和合同）

1. Representative Offices 1 。代表處

General 一般
The fastest and easiest method for a foreign company to establish a presence or ‘footprint’ in China is through registration of a Representative Office of a foreign company. While this is true, there are certain factors that must be considered when deciding whether an RO is the appropriate structure:最快和最簡單的方法，為一家外國公司建立一個存在或'足跡'在中國是通過登記設立代表辦事處的外國公司，雖然這是事實，有一定的因素時，必須考慮決定是否反滲透是適當的結構：

i) ROs cannot conduct direct profit-making activities (cannot earn income) and may only serve a liaison function between head office and suppliers/distributors/customers in China; i ）在活性氧不能進行直接牟利活動（不能賺取收入）和可能只服務一個聯絡的功能之間的總辦事處及供應商/分銷商/在中國的客戶;
ii) ROs do not have separate legal personality and may only contract or conduct business on behalf of head office;二）活性氧沒有獨立的法律人格，並可能只是合同或開展業務的名義總辦事處;
iii) practically, ROs are limited with regards to business relations with Chinese companies who may prefer to deal with Mainland registered company;三）實際上，活性氧是有限的方面的業務關係與中國公司的人可能寧願以處理與內地註冊的公司;
iv) taxes must still be paid (though there are no profits);四）稅收仍必須支付的（雖然沒有利潤） ;
v) ROs, while simple to establish, are relatively more complex when closing.五）活性氧，而簡單的建立，相對較為複雜時閉幕。

An RO is permitted to: 1反滲透是允許到：
- Conduct data collection and research on local market -進行數據收集和研究對本地市場
- Liaise with local contacts on behalf of parent company -保持聯絡，與當地的接觸，就代表公司的母公司
- Coordinate parent companies activities in China such as contract negotiations -協調母子公司在中國的活動，如合同談判
- Coordination of warranty and after-sales service -協調保修和售後服務
- Conduct services for parent company such as coordination of import, export, and distribution of products -進行服務公司的母公司，如協調進口，出口和分配產品

An RO is not permitted to: 1路是不容許到：
- Directly engage in business for profit -直接從事業務利潤
- Sign contracts on its own behalf -簽訂合同，就以自己的名義，
- Represent entities other than the parent company -代表以外的其他實體公司的母公司，
- Collect money or issue invoices for products or services -收錢或問題發票的產品或服務

Representative offices are governed by the Procedures for the Registration and Administration of Resident Representative Offices of Foreign Enterprises in China and the Detailed Rules of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation for the Implementation of the Provisional Regulations Governing the Examination, Approval and Administration of Representative Offices of Foreign Enterprises.代表辦事處，是由程序，為登記和管理的居民代表辦事處，外國企業在中國和細則外交部貿易和經濟合作，為實施臨時規例，規管考試，審批和管理代表辦事處的外國企業。

Registration 註冊
Unlike many other countries, Representative Offices in China are subject to registration requirements.不像許多其他國家一樣，代表辦事處，在中國受到的註冊規定。 A filing must be made with the local Administration for Industry and Commerce, which, if successful, will issue an Approval Certificate for the Representative Office.備案必須作出與當地工商行政管理部門和商業，其中，如果成功的話，會發出批准證書，為代表處。 Thereafter, a number of filings with other authorities such as the Foreign Exchange Bureau, Public Security Bureau, Customs Bureau and Tax Bureau must be made.此後，一些文件與其他機構，如外匯局，公安局，海關局和國稅局必須作出。 Registration is generally valid for only three years and application must be made prior to expiration for renewal of the term.註冊是一般有效期為3年，只及應用必須作出到期前續期的任期。

It is important to note that in order to establish an RO in China, it is necessary to establish a physical office space (in cities such as Shanghai, only certain commercial buildings may be used to register ROs).這是很重要的注意，為了建立一個滾裝在中國，這是要建立一個實際的辦公室空間（在城市如上海，只有某些商業建築物可能被用來登記活性氧） 。

This is the first part of the Grandall Legal Group article Business Vehicles, next week we will publish the second part.這是第一部份的grandall法律組文章營業車輛，下週我們將公佈的第二部分。

Gregory M. Sy is a partner / foreign counsel with Grandall Legal Group. 格雷戈里米施是一個合作夥伴/外國律師與grandall法律組。 His practice includes general business advisory for SME’s in China, particularly in the areas of international corporate structuring and transactions. 他的實踐，包括一般業務諮詢，為中小企業的在中國，尤其是在以下領域的國際公司的結構和交易。 Representative clients include the Consulate of the United States of America in China (Shenyang), Embassy of Brazil, various publicly listed companies (NYSE, LSE, DAX, and BSE), along with numerous other SME’s operating in a wide range of industries. 代表客戶包括領事館美利堅合眾國在中國（沉陽） ，駐華使館，巴西，各種公開上市公司（紐約證券交易所，倫敦證券交易所，股市DAX ，瘋牛病） ，連同其他許多中小企業的經營在廣泛的產業。 Mr. Sy obtained an LL.B. SY先生獲得法學士學位 from the University of Victoria, and is admitted to the New York bar. 從維多利亞大學，並承認設在紐約的酒吧。 Gregory publishes extensively on a variety of China legal issues for international and local publications, and has recently acted as chief editor for Martindale’s China Law Digest. 格雷戈里發表了廣泛的各種各樣的中國法律問題的國際和當地出版物，並於最近擔任總編輯，為馬丁代爾的中國法學會消化。 You can contact Gregory at 你可以聯絡格雷戈里在 gregsy@grandall.com.cn gregsy@grandall.com.cn or learn more about the firm at 或了解更多有關該公司在 www.grandall-profile.com www.grandall - profile.com . 。