Set Up a Representative Office in Ningbo China, Establishing Representative Office (RO) in Ningbo

Ningbo is a harbor city in Zhejiang province and one of China’s most prominent ports. The Ningbo-Zhoushan port is the fifth-largest in the world and the third-busiest in China after Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. It is bound by the East China Sea and Zhoushan Archipelago in the east, by Hangzhou Bay in the north, by Shaoxing in the west, and by Taizhou in the south. In 2007, the Hangzhou bay bridge was built, connecting Ningbo with its neighbors. Ningbo has established intermodal rail services that connect it to 13 inland ports. It also has the largest specialized dock for storing liquefied chemical products in China.

Ningbo serves as the economic center for the southern Yangtze River Delta and has been ranked among the most competitive cities in China. The municipal government of Ningbo encourages foreign investment and various multinational corporations (MNCs) have established operations in and around Ningbo. In 2013, Ningbo’s GDP reached US $108.3 billion (RMB 712.89 billion), up 8.1 percent year on year with an annual growth rate of 9.26 percent. Ningbo’s exports totaled US $65.7 billion while imports amounted to US $34.6 billion. The city ranked second in economic performance for Zhejiang province in 2014, trailing only Hangzhou

Ningbo has a sister city relationship with four cities in the U.S. – Wilmington, Delaware (1988), Houston, Texas (2000), Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2006) and Norfolk, Virginia (2013).

When investors have plans on establishing representative office in Ningbo  , it is better for them to acquire more information in order to run a successful business in Ningbo  . Setting up a representative office is the most inexpensive entry form for foreign enterprises to enter the Chinese market. And about 20% of investing clients have chosen Representative Office as their Ningbo  business entity since setting up a representative office is cost efficient and it requires no capital investment. A representative office basically is to serve as a liaison office between a foreign company and its business partners in Ningbo  , and to coordinate the parent enterprise activities in Ningbo   (travel arrangements, promotion etc.). 

Representative offices are applicable for many industries: trading, shipping, consulting, etc. The Chinese government has a name format for anyone who wants to setup a representative office (RO) in China, the format is: country (area) + parent company name +Xi’an   Representative Office.

Xi’an  Representative Office Setup-Procedures
Preparing all the needed documents→ fill out the application form→ sign the agreement with TCBC→ pay for the services→ submit all the needed documents→ name reservation→ apply for the business license and work card→ go to the public security bureau for stamp-make→ apply for Organization Code License & card→ apply for Setup license of the Local & National Taxation Bureau.

An RO has no legal personality, meaning it does not possess the capacity for civil rights and conduct, cannot independently assume civil liability, and is limited in its hiring ability. Chinese staff working for an RO, although not limited in number, must be employed through a human resources agency that will sign a contract with the RO on the one hand and with the Chinese staff on the other in order to ensure social security and housing fund contributions are paid on a regular basis. No more than four foreign employees can be hired per RO. Foreign staff working for ROs should have an employment relationship with the parent company abroad, and any disputes should be settled under the laws of that country

ROs are usually taxed on gross expenses with the overall tax burden around 11.75 percent of total monthly expenses; however, these rates may be increased by the relevant tax bureau according to the industry. If the chief representative is a foreign national, whether they stay in China or not, they shall be subject to individual tax based on the income derived from the RO. 

Set Up a Representative Office in Ningbo  is a big project by itself, which requires financial and time commitments, business management knowledge and China expertise. Identifying a competent agent to manage the complex process will be a cost and time effective way to avoid potential pitfalls

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