China Law Counsel https://chinalawcounsel.com/ Practical, current, source-cited guides on Chinese business law for foreign investors — written by a practising Chinese lawyer. en © 2026 China Law Counsel Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:08:49 GMT China Supplier Due Diligence: What to Check Before Sending Money https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/supplier-risk/china-supplier-due-diligence-checklist/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/supplier-risk/china-supplier-due-diligence-checklist/ Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT A complete due diligence checklist for foreign buyers working with Chinese manufacturers: entity verification, financial health, litigation history, IP risk, quality system, and on-site audit — plus what each check costs and what happens when you skip it. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Why Your Supplier's Business Card Isn't Their Registered Name https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/supplier-risk/supplier-business-card-vs-registered-name/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/supplier-risk/supplier-business-card-vs-registered-name/ Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Your Chinese supplier's business card says 'Quality Bags Co.' — but their registered legal name is 'Tianjin Junyi Premium Trading Co., Ltd.' The operating name and the registered name are frequently different entities. Here's why this dual-name structure exists, how to find the real name, and what it means for your NNN agreement. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Trading Company vs. Factory: Five Red Flags Your 'Manufacturer' Isn't Who They Say They Are https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/supplier-risk/trading-company-vs-factory-five-red-flags/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/supplier-risk/trading-company-vs-factory-five-red-flags/ Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Many Chinese 'manufacturers' presented to foreign buyers are actually trading companies — middlemen with no factory, no production equipment, and no control over your moulds. This guide identifies five red flags that reveal a trading company posing as a factory, and explains why the distinction matters for your NNN agreement, your IP, and your ability to enforce. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) How to Verify a Chinese Supplier's Registered Legal Entity https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/supplier-risk/verify-chinese-supplier-legal-entity/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/supplier-risk/verify-chinese-supplier-legal-entity/ Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Before signing an NNN agreement or sending a deposit to a Chinese manufacturer, verify their registered legal entity. This guide shows exactly what to check: the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (gsxt.gov.cn), the Unified Social Credit Code, trading company vs. factory identification, and the chop requirements. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) China OEM Agreements: The Complete Guide for Foreign Buyers https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/oem-agreements-china-guide/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/oem-agreements-china-guide/ Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Clause-by-clause guide to China OEM agreements for foreign buyers. Part 1: the complete clause map and intellectual property ownership and licensing — with Chinese court case analysis and drafting positions. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) NNN Agreement Dispute Resolution: We Usually Recommend Chinese Courts over Arbitration https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-dispute-resolution-court-vs-arbitration/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-dispute-resolution-court-vs-arbitration/ Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT For China NNN agreements, Chinese court litigation usually beats arbitration on speed to asset freezing, cost, and enforcement — while arbitration retains real advantages in specific configurations. How the choice works, and how to draft the clause. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) China NNN Agreements: The Complete Guide for Foreign Buyers https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-agreements-china-guide/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-agreements-china-guide/ Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Why NDAs fail against Chinese suppliers and what replaces them — the three Ns, enforceability under PRC law, chop and entity verification, liquidated damages, tooling, subcontractors, and the full OEM contract stack, with a six-part FAQ companion series. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) China NNN Agreements FAQ (1): Basics, Definitions, and What You Are Signing https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-1-basics-definitions/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-1-basics-definitions/ Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT The fundamentals: what NNN stands for, how it differs from an NDA, whether names and registration matter, and the questions buyers ask before anything else. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) China NNN Agreements FAQ (2): Whether and When You Need One https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-2-whether-when/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-2-whether-when/ Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Timing and necessity: when an NNN is essential and when another instrument does the job better - samples, purchase orders, manufacturing agreements, idea-stage projects, and suppliers outside China. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) China NNN Agreements FAQ (3): Drafting the Agreement https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-3-drafting/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-3-drafting/ Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Drafting choices that decide enforceability: what the agreement must contain, unilateral versus mutual structures, the permitted-purpose definition, duration layers, language, governing law, and a complete China-compliance checklist. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) China NNN Agreements FAQ (4): Language, Governing Law, Execution, and Verification https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-4-language-law-execution/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-4-language-law-execution/ Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Getting the paper right: which chop counts, whether a signature alone binds, Hong Kong entities, pre-signing disclosures, supplier verification, and how the language and law clauses are chosen. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) China NNN Agreements FAQ (5): Money, Damages, Disputes, and Enforcement https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-5-money-disputes/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-5-money-disputes/ Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT When things go wrong: how large liquidated damages should be, whether punitive numbers survive, court versus arbitration, foreign judgments, demand letters, and the cost and speed of enforcement. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) China NNN Agreements FAQ (6): Scenarios, Coverage Gaps, and Related Protections https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-6-scenarios-gaps/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/nnn-oem-agreements/nnn-faq-6-scenarios-gaps/ Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT The boundary questions: what an NNN does not cover - trademarks, patents, moulds, sub-suppliers, affiliates, employees - plus refusal scenarios, breach patterns, and how the pieces fit together. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) China WFOE: Advantages and Disadvantages for Foreign Investors (2026) https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/company-setup/wfoe-advantages-disadvantages/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/company-setup/wfoe-advantages-disadvantages/ Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT The real advantages and disadvantages of a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE) in China — control, costs, registered capital, licensing limits, and when a WFOE is the wrong choice. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Case Commentary: A Canadian Buyer Won a Quality Claim Against a Chinese Chemical Supplier — Including Its Downstream Losses https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/dispute-resolution/case-canadian-buyer-chemical-quality-claim/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/dispute-resolution/case-canadian-buyer-chemical-quality-claim/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT A 2022 Shandong High Court judgment let a Canadian buyer recover the purchase price, lost resale margin, and payments made to its own customer — but ordered return of the salvaged goods. What made the difference: a stamped refund declaration. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Case Commentary: A US Buyer's Shoe Shipment Went Bad in Japan — What the Chinese Court Awarded, and What It Refused https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/dispute-resolution/case-us-buyer-defective-shoes-cisg/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/dispute-resolution/case-us-buyer-defective-shoes-cisg/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT A Guangdong court applied the CISG to a US buyer's defective shoe order — found fundamental breach but cut damages for late notice. The notice, evidence, and damages-lessons matter to anyone importing from China. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Closing Down a Company in China: Deregistration, Liquidation, and Getting Your Money Out https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/company-setup/china-company-deregistration-liquidation/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/company-setup/china-company-deregistration-liquidation/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT How to wind up a WFOE properly — the voluntary liquidation sequence, tax clearance, employee and creditor steps, the consequences of just walking away, and the simplified deregistration shortcut. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Hiring Employees in China: Contracts, Probation, Social Insurance, and Termination Rules https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/people-visas/china-employment-law-hiring-termination/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/people-visas/china-employment-law-hiring-termination/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT China's employment law from the employer's side — written-contract requirement, the two probation traps, social insurance obligations, and the narrow legal grounds for firing an employee. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Individual Income Tax for Foreigners in China: Residency, Rates, and Tax-Free Benefits https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/tax-vat/china-iit-foreign-employees/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/tax-vat/china-iit-foreign-employees/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT How China taxes foreign employees — the 183-day and six-year rules, 3–45% progressive rates, the expat benefits regime that now expires in 2027, and tax treaty protection for short stays. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Buying a Chinese Company: M&A Process, Due Diligence, and Approvals for Foreign Acquirers https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/market-entry/china-ma-acquisition-foreign-buyer/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/market-entry/china-ma-acquisition-foreign-buyer/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT How foreign investors acquire Chinese companies — equity vs asset deals, the due diligence that actually finds problems (social insurance, chops, related-party debt), filing mechanics, and closing sequence. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) China Data Compliance for Foreign Companies: PIPL, Cross-Border Transfers, and What Actually Gets Enforced https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/data-privacy/china-pipl-data-compliance/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/data-privacy/china-pipl-data-compliance/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT A practical PIPL roadmap for foreign-invested companies — consent and notice rules, the three cross-border transfer routes, security assessments, and enforcement trends since 2021. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Trademark Protection in China: First-to-File, Squatting, and What to Do Before You Launch https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/ip-trademark/china-trademark-squatting-registration/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/ip-trademark/china-trademark-squatting-registration/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT China's trademark system rewards the first filer, not the first user — how to register before squatters do, the bad-faith opposition toolkit, customs recordal, and enforcement options. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) China VAT and Corporate Income Tax: What a Foreign-Owned Company Actually Pays https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/tax-vat/china-vat-cit-explained/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/tax-vat/china-vat-cit-explained/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT The two taxes every China entity lives with — 25% corporate income tax and 6–13% VAT — plus the small-profit preferences, invoicing under Golden Tax IV, and transfer pricing basics. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Market Entry into China: Licences, the Negative List, and Where Foreigners Are Restricted https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/market-entry/market-entry-licences-negative-list/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/market-entry/market-entry-licences-negative-list/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT How to tell whether your business can enter China freely, needs a licence, or is restricted — the negative list, sector licences, free trade zone exceptions, and how to sequence approvals. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Setting Up a Company in China: WFOE vs JV vs Rep Office — Which Structure to Choose https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/company-setup/wfoe-jv-rep-office-compared/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/company-setup/wfoe-jv-rep-office-compared/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT WFOE, joint venture, and representative office compared — control, cost, speed, and what each vehicle can actually do, so you pick the right China structure before you register. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Work Permits and Visas for Foreign Employees in China: The 2026 Process https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/people-visas/work-permits-visas-2026/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/people-visas/work-permits-visas-2026/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT How a foreign employee legally works in China — the work permit (Class A/B/C), the Z visa, and the residence permit — plus timelines, degree legalisation, and the employer's own qualifications. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu) Repatriating Profits from China: 4 Legal Routes and the Tax on Each https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/moving-money/profit-repatriation-routes/ https://chinalawcounsel.com/guides/moving-money/profit-repatriation-routes/ Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT How to get profits out of China legally in 2026 — dividends, the 10% withholding tax, the HK 5% treaty rate, service payments, and capital reduction, compared step by step. brad.shu@chinalawcounsel.com (Brad Shu)