1995年2月13日，中华人民共和国对外贸易经济合作部

第一章 总 则

第一条 为发展我国的对外贸易，促进国际间经济技术合作，加强对外国公司、企业和其他经济组织在中华人民共和国境内设立的常驻代表机构的管理，根据中华人民共和国国务院1980年10月30日发布的《关于管理外国企业常驻代表机构的暂行规定》，特制定本实施细则。

第二条 本实施细则适用于外国贸易商、制造厂商、货运代理商、承包商、咨询公司、广告公司、投资公司、租赁公司和其他经济贸易组织（以下简称外国企业）在中华人民共和国境内设立常驻代表机构。

第三条 外国企业申请在中华人民共和国境内设立常驻代表机构，必须经中华人民共和国对外贸易经济合作部或其授权的各省、自治区、直辖市及计划单列市对外经济贸易委员会（厅）（以下简称审批机关）批准，并在中华人民共和国国家工商行政管理局或其授权的各省、自治区、直

辖市及计划单列市工商行政管理局（以下简称登记机关）办理登记手续。

第四条 外国企业常驻代表机构可以在中华人民共和国境内从事非直接经营性活动，代表该企业进行其经营范围内的业务联络、产品介绍、市场调研、技术交流等业务活动。

第五条 外国企业未经批准和登记不得在中华人民共和国境内设立常驻代表机构，不得开展本实施细则允许从事的各项业务活动。

第六条 外国企业常驻代表机构及其成员必须遵守中华人民共和国的法律和法规，不得损害中华人民共和国安全和社会公共利益。

第七条 外国企业常驻代表机构及其成员，在本实施细则范围内从事的各项业务活动，受中华人民共和国法律的保护。

第八条 外国企业申请设立常驻代表机构的基本条件：

一、该外国企业必须在所在国合法注册；

二、该外国企业必须具有良好的商业信誉；

三、该外国企业必须提供真实可靠的本实施细则规定的各类材料；

四、该外国企业必须按照本实施细则的规定办理申报手续。

第二章 设立、延期、变更和终止

第九条 外国企业申请在中华人民共和国境内设立常驻代表机构，须向审批机关提出书面申请，审批机关对其申请进行审查，在30个工作日内作出批准或不予批准的决定，并及时通知该外国企业。

第十条 外国企业申请设立常驻代表机构必须委托一家经中华人民共和国政府主管部门批准的、享有对外经济贸易经营权的公司或经审批机关认可的对外经济贸易组织和外事服务单位作为承办单位，由承办单位代外国企业向审批机关报送各类材料，办理申报手续。

第十一条 由中华人民共和国各部委所属公司、对外经济贸易组织和外事服务单位承办的外国企业常驻代表机构报对外贸易经济合作部审批；由各省、自治区、直辖市及计划单列市所属公司、对外经济贸易组织和外事服务单位承办的外国企业常驻代表机构报各省、自治区、直辖市及计

划单列市对外经济贸易委员会（厅）审批。

第十二条 外国企业申请设立常驻代表机构，须向审批机关提供下列材料：

一、由该企业董事长或总经理签署的申请书，内容包括：该企业简况、设立常驻代表机构的目的、常驻代表机构的名称、派驻人员（首席代表、代表）、业务范围、驻在期限、办公地址等；

二、由该企业所在国的有关当局出具的开业合法证书（副本）；

三、由同该企业有业务往来的银行出具的资本信用证明书（正本）；

四、由该企业董事长或总经理签署的委任常驻代表机构首席代表和代表的授权书、首席代表和代表的简历及身份证件（复印件）。如董事长任首席代表或代表，其授权书必须由该企业董事会两名以上董事签署。不设董事会的企业可由执行董事签署有关文件；

五、填写《外国企业常驻代表机构设立申报表》和《外国企业常驻代表机构人员申报表》（样表见附件一、二）；

六、审批机关认为有必要提供的其他申报材料。

第十三条 外国企业常驻代表机构的名称应以"国别＋企业名称＋城市名＋代表处"的方式确定。

第十四条 外国企业设立常驻代表机构的申请获得批准后，由常驻代表机构的首席代表向审批机关领取批准证书，并在批准之日起的30天内，持批准证书到登记机关办理登记手续。逾期不办理登记手续的，批准证书自行失效，由审批机关收回批准证书。

第十五条 外国企业设立常驻代表机构的申请获得批准和办理登记手续后，外国企业常驻代表机构必须在30天内持批准证书、登记证和代表证到公安机关、税务机关、海关、银行等部门办理有关手续。

第十六条 外国企业常驻代表机构一次批准的最长期限为3年，驻在期自审批机关颁发批准证书之日起算，驻在期满如需延期，外国企业须提前60天通过原承办单位向审批机关提出申请，办理延期手续。

第十七条 外国企业常驻代表机构申请延期，须向审批机关提供下列材料：

一、由该企业董事长或总经理签署的延期申请书；

二、该企业常驻代表机构前一个驻在期内的业务活动报告；

三、同该企业有业务往来的银行出具的资本信用证明书（正本）；

四、该企业所在国有关当局出具的开业合法证书（副本）；

五、该企业常驻代表机构的批准证书及登记证复印件；

六、填写《外国企业常驻代表机构延期申报表》（样表见附件三）。

第十八条 外国企业常驻代表机构的延期申请获得批准后，由审批机关颁发延期批准证书，外国企业常驻代表机构于批准后30天内持延期批准证书到登记机关办理延期登记手续及公安、税务、海关、银行等有关手续。

第十九条 外国企业要求变更常驻代表机构的名称，更换或增加首席代表或代表，变更常驻机构的业务范围、驻在期限和办公地址，须通过原承办单位向原审批机关提交由该企业董事长或总经理签署的申请书（变更办公地址的申请书可由首席代表签署）及与变更相关的材料，并填写《

外国企业常驻代表机构变更申报表》（样表见附件四）。变更申请获得批准后，外国企业常驻代表机构必须在30天内持变更批准证书向原登记机关办理变更登记手续及公安、税务、海关、银行等有关手续。

第二十条 外国企业常驻代表机构驻在期限届满或者提前终止业务活动，外国企业申请撤销其常驻机构，应在终止前30天，由该企业董事长或总经理签署撤销申请书，通过原承办单位报告原审批机关备案，并于清理债务、税务和其他有关事宜后，办理工商登记、长期居留及海关备案

等注销手续。

第二十一条 外国企业常驻代表机构设立、延期、变更和撤销的申请书和首席代表、代表的授权书应用中文书写；如用其他文字书写，必须附中文译本。其他申报材料如用中文以外的文字书写，必须附中文译本。

第二十二条 审批机关在必要时有权要求就外国企业设立常驻代表机构的全部或部分申报材料经所在国公证机关公证，并经中华人民共和国驻该国使领馆认证。

第三章 管 理

第二十三条 中华人民共和国对外贸易经济合作部及其授权的各省、自治区、直辖市及计划单列市对外经济贸易委员会（厅）依照中华人民共和国国务院1980年10月30日发布的《关于管理外国企业常驻代表机构的暂行规定》和本实施细则以及有关法律、法规，会同各有关部门

对外国企业常驻代表机构的业务活动进行管理、监督和检查。

第二十四条 外国企业常驻代表机构及其成员在出入境、居留、工商、税务、海关、外汇管理、聘请工作人员、租房以及其他方面的一切活动应当依照中华人民共和国的法律和法规进行，并接受中华人民共和国政府各有关主管机关的管理、监督和检查。

第二十五条 外国企业常驻代表机构进口用于在其办公场所内展示的展品，应向原审批机关提出申请并附进口展品清单，经批准后持批准文件和进口展品清单报请所在地海关核准具体品种和数量。海关按《中华人民共和国海关对暂时进口货物监管办法》和《中华人民共和国海关关于进

出口货物申请担保的管理办法》的规定，收取与税款等值的保证金后查验放行。展品在担保期限内须受海关监管，不得出售、转让或赠送。展品自进境之日起，6个月内须复运出境，逾期未能复运出境的，海关按有关规定处理。

第二十六条 外国企业对其设立的常驻代表机构在中华人民共和国境内的一切业务活动承担法律责任。

第二十七条 各省、自治区、直辖市及计划单列市对外经济贸易委员会（厅），须于每年1月和7月将其批准设立的外国企业常驻代表机构汇总报对外贸易经济合作部备案。

第二十八条 对外贸易经济合作部及其授权的各省、自治区、直辖市及计划单列市对外经济贸易委员会（厅）对违反中华人民共和国法律、法规和本实施细则规定的外国企业常驻代表机构，根据情节轻重，可给予警告、责令暂停业务直至撤销批准的处分。

第四章 首席代表和代表资格

第二十九条 外国企业常驻代表机构的首席代表和代表必须具备下列资格：

一、持合法普通护照的外国公民（不含外国在中国的留学生）；

二、在境外已经获得外国长期居住资格的中国公民；

三、持有效证件的港澳同胞、台湾同胞；

四、外国企业聘请中国公民（不含本条第二款所指中国公民）任其常驻代表机构的首席代表或代表，必须委托当地外事服务单位或中华人民共和国政府指定的其他单位，根据中华人民共和国有关法律和法规办理申报手续。

第五章 附 则

第三十条 外国企业申请在中华人民共和国委派常驻代表，比照本实施细则执行。

第三十一条 本实施细则未尽事宜，应根据中华人民共和国有关法律和法规办理。

第三十二条 台湾、香港和澳门地区的企业申请在大陆设立常驻代表机构参照本实施细则执行。

第三十三条 本实施细则由中华人民共和国对外贸易经济合作部负责解释。

第三十四条 本实施细则自公布之日起施行。1992年8月11日《关于审批外国港澳企业常驻代表机构有关问题的规定》〔1992外经贸管发第272号〕同时废止。

Detailed Rules of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation for the Implementation of the Examination-Approval and Adminis-tration of the Resident Representative offices of Foreign Enterprises inChina

(Promulgated on February 13, 1995)

Whole document

Detailed Rules of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation

for the Implementation of the Examination-Approval and Administration

of the Resident Representative offices of Foreign Enterprises in China

(Promulgated on February 13, 1995)

Chapter 1 General Principles

Article 1

With a view to developing China's foreign trade, promoting international economic cooperation and fortifying the administration of the resident representative offices of foreign companies, enterprises and other economic entitles in the People's Republic of China, the present Detailed Rules are formulated in accordance with the Interim Provisions Concerning the Administration of the Resident Representative Offices in China of Foreign Enterprises, which were promulgated by the State Council of the People's Republic of China on October 30, 1980.

Article 2

These Detailed Rules shall apply to the resident representative offices set up within the territory of the People's Republic of China by foreign traders, manufacturers, shipping agents, contractors, consultant companies, advertising agencies, investment companies, leasing companies and other economic entities (hereinafter called "foreign enterprises").

Article 3

A foreign enterprise which applies for the establishment of its resident representative office in the territory of the People's Republic of China shall, upon approval by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation or its authorized commissions for foreign trade and economic relations (hereinafter called the "examination-approval authorities") of the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government and of cities with separate listing in the state plan, register with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce or its authorized administrations for industry and commerce (hereinafter called the "registration authorities") of the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government and of the cities with separate listing in the state plan.

Article 4

The resident representative office of a foreign enterprise may, on its behalf and within its business scope, be engaged in such indirect business activities as business liaison, products recommendation, market research, technological exchange, etc. in the territory of the People's Republic of China.

Article 5

Without prior approval and registration, no foreign enterprise shall have its resident representative office or be engaged in any of the business activities set forth in these Rules in the territory of the People's Republic of China.

Article 6

The resident representative office and its staff members of a foreign enterprise shall abide by the laws and regulations of, and shall not injure the national security and social public interests of the People's Republic of China.

Article 7

The business activities conducted by the resident representative office and its staff members of a foreign enterprise pursuant to these Rules shall be protected by law of the People's Republic of China.

Article 8

The essential conditions and requirements for a foreign enterprise to apply for the establishment of a resident representative office are as follows:

(1) the enterprise must be legally registered in the country where it is located;

(2) the enterprise must enjoy a good commercial reputation;

(3) the enterprise must provide the authentic and reliable materials and documents required by these Rules; and

(4) the enterprise must go through the registration and application procedures as provided for in these Rules.

Chapter 2 Establishment, Extension, Alteration and Termination

Article 9

A foreign enterprise which applies for the establishment of a resident representative office in the territory of the People's Republic of China shall submit to the examination and approval authorities a written application. The examination and approval authorities shall, within thirty (30) working days, decide whether to approve or disapprove it, and inform the foreign enterprise in due course.

Article 10

A foreign enterprise which applies for the establishment of a resident representative office shall commission as its undertaking agency a company which is approved by the competent authorities of the People's Republic of China and enjoys the right of foreign trade operation, or a foreign economic relations and trade entity or a service unit for foreigners recognized by the examination and approval authorities to submit, on its behalf, to the examination and approval authorities all the documents and materials and go through the application and registration procedures.

Article 11

Applications for the establishment of resident representative offices undertaken by the companies, foreign economic relations and trade entities, services units for foreigners directly under the ministries and commissions of the State Council shall be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation for examination and approval; those undertaken by the companies, foreign economic relations and trade entities, service units for foreigners of the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government and cities with separate listing in the state plan shall be submitted to the local commissions (offices) for foreign economic relations and trade at the same level for examination and approval.

Article 12

A foreign enterprise which applies for the establishment of a resident representative office shall submit to the examination and approval authorities the following documents:

(1) an application signed by chairman of the board of directors or general manager of the enterprise with the inclusion of: a brief introduction of the enterprise, purpose of such establishment, and the name, personnel accredited (chief representative and representatives), scope of business, residence period, office location, etc. of the resident representative office;

(2) a certificate of legal operation (transcript) issued by the competent authority of the country where the enterprise is located;

(3) a certificate of credit (original) issued by a bank which has business relations with the enterprise;

(4) letters of authorization signed by the chairman of the board of directors or general manager of the enterprise for commissioning the chief representative and representative(s) of the resident representative office, and resumes of the chief representative and representatives and their identity cards (duplicate). If the chairman of the board of directors is appointed as the chief representative or representative, the letter of authorization shall be signed by no less than two members of the board of directors of the enterprise. In case there is no board of directors in the enterprise, relevant papers shall be signed by the executive director;

(5) a completed Application Form for the Establishment of Resident Representative Office of Foreign Enterprises and a completed Application Form for the Staff Members of Resident Representative Offices of Foreign Enterprises; and

(6) other application materials which the examination and approval authorities deem necessary.

Article 13

The resident representative office of a foreign enterprise shall be named in the form of Name of Origin Country + Name of Enterprise + Name of City + Representative Office.

Article 14

After the enterprise acquires the approval for establishment of a resident representative office, the chief representative of the office shall, within thirty days from the date of receipt of the approval, register with the registration authorities by producing the certificate of approval. In case of failure to go through the registration formalities within the time limit, the certificate of approval shall be invalid automatically and shall be revoked by the examination and approval authorities.

Article 15

The resident representative office of a foreign enterprise shall, within thirty days after it has acquired the approval of its application and conducted its registration, go through the formalities with the public security organs, tax authorities, customs administration and banking units by presenting the certificate of approval, registration certificate and certificate of representative.

Article 16

The maximum residence period of the resident representative office of a foreign enterprise by one approval shall be not longer than three years. The residence period shall begin on the day of the issuance of the certificate of approval. Where the foreign enterprise intends to extend the period, it shall, sixty days before the expiration of the period, submit an application to the examination and approval authorities through the original undertaking agency and go through formalities for the extension.

Article 17

The resident representative office of a foreign enterprise which applies for extension shall provide the examination and approval authorities with the following documents;

(1) an application for extension signed by the chairman or general manager of the enterprise;

(2) a business report of the resident representative office during the last residence period;

(3) a certificate of credit (original) issued by a bank which has business relations with the enterprise;

(4) a certificate of legal operation (transcript) issued by the competent authority of the country where the enterprise is located;

(5) a duplicate certificate of approval and a certificate of registration of the resident representative office; and

(6) an Application Form for Extension of Resident Representative Offices of Foreign Enterprises.

Article 18

The resident representative office of a foreign enterprise which had its application for extension approved and obtained a certificate of approval for extension issued by the examination and approval authorities shall, within thirty days after receipt of the approval and by presenting such certificate, go through the formalities with the registration authorities for extension and the formalities with the public security organs, tax authorities, customs administration, banking units, etc.

Article 19

Where a foreign enterprise requests for an alteration of its name, a replacement or an addition of the chief representative or representative (s), or an alteration of the business scope, residence period or office location of its resident representative office, it shall, through the original undertaking agency, provide the original examination and approval authorities with an application for alteration signed by the chairman or general manager of the enterprise together with materials relevant to such alterations, and shall fill in the Application Form for Alteration of Resident Representative Offices of Foreign Enterprises. Upon the approval, the resident representative office shall, within thirty days and by presenting the certificate of approval for alteration, go through the formalities with the registration authorities for alteration and the formalities with the public security organs, tax authorities, customs administration, banking units, etc.

Article 20

Where a foreign enterprise applies for a revocation of its resident representative office due to the expiration of the residence period or for a termination of the business operation before such expiration, an application for cancellation signed by the chairman of the board of directors or general manager of the enterprise shall, thirty days before the expiration, be submitted by the original undertaking agency to the original examination and approval authorities for record, and the formalities of cancellation pertaining to registration of industry and commerce, permanent residence and record at customs shall be gone through after the clear-ups of debts and taxes and other issues.

Article 21

The applications concerning the establishment, extension, alteration and revocation as well as the letters of authorization for the chief representative and representative (s) of the resident representative office of a foreign enterprise shall be written in the Chinese language; if done in other languages, a translation in the Chinese language shall be attached hereto. Should languages other than the Chinese language be used in other materials for application, a translation in the Chinese language shall be attached hereto.

Article 22

The examination and approval authorities shall be entitled to, when it deems necessary, require the foreign enterprise which applies for the establishment of a resident representative office to have all or part of the materials for application notarized by the notary organ of the country where the enterprise is located, and to have them certified by the Chinese embassy or consulate in the country where the enterprise is located.

Chapter 3 Administration

Article 23

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of the People's Republic of China and its authorized commissions (offices) for foreign economic relations and trade of the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government and cities with separate listing in the state plan shall, in accordance with the Interim Provisions Concerning the Administration of the Resident Representative Offices of Foreign Enterprises in China promulgated by the State Council of the People's Republic of China on October 30, 1980 and the present Rules as well as relevant laws and regulations and jointly with other departments concerned, conduct administration, supervision and inspection of (over) the business activities of the resident representative offices of foreign enterprises.

Article 24

Resident representative offices of foreign enterprises and their staff members shall comply with the laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China in respect of entry and exit, residence, industry and commerce, taxation, customs, foreign exchange control, employment of staff members, house-renting and other matters and be subject to the administration, supervision and inspection from the competent departments of the Chinese Government.

Article 25

Resident representative offices of foreign enterprises which import exhibits for display on their business premises shall submit to the original examination and approval authorities an application attached with a list of import exhibits, and, upon approval, report to the Customs of the cities where the offices are located for varied and quantitative verification by presenting the approval documents. The Customs shall, in accordance with the Measures of the Customs of the People's Republic of China on Control over Imports for Temporary Purpose and the Regulations of the Customs of the People's Republic of China on the Application for Guarantees for Import and Export Goods, give check and clearance of the exhibits after collecting guaranty money equivalent to the duties.

Exhibits in the guaranty period shall be subject to the Customs control, and shall not be sold, transferred or granted. The exhibits shall, within six months from the day on which they were imported, be re-exported; failure to do that within the period specified, they shall be dealt with in accordance with related provisions.

Article 26

A foreign enterprise shall be responsible legally for all the business activities conducted by its resident representative office within the territory of the People's Republic of China.

Article 27

The commissions (offices) for foreign economic relations and trade of the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government and cities with separate listing in the state plan shall, in every January and July, present data concerning all the resident representative offices they approved in the year to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation for record.

Article 28

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and its authorized commissions (offices) for foreign economic relations and trade of the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government and cities with separate listing in the state plan shall, depending on the seriousness of the case, impose such sanctions as disciplinary warning, suspension of business upon instruction and revocation of the approval on the resident representative offices of foreign enterprises which violate laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China and the present Rules.

Chapter 4 Qualifications for Chief Representative and Repre- sentative(s)

Article 29

The chief representative and representative (s) of the resident offices of foreign enterprises shall meet one of the following qualifications:

(1) a foreign citizen with a legitimate passport (excluding foreign students studying in China);

(2) a Chinese citizen who has the right of permanent residence in a foreign country;

(3) compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan with valid credentials; or

(4) where a Chinese citizen (excluding Chinese citizens mentioned in Item 2 of this Article) is employed as the chief representative or representative of its resident representative office, a foreign enterprise shall entrust a local service unit for foreigners or other entity designated by the Government of the People's Republic of China to process the application and report in accordance with relevant laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China.

Chapter 5 Supplementary Provisions

Article 30

The present Rules shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to foreign enterprises which apply for the commission of their permanent representatives in China.

Article 31

Affairs not covered in these Rules shall be dealt with in accordance with related laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China.

Article 32

The present Rules shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to enterprises in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan which apply for the establishment of their resident representative offices in the mainland areas of China.

Article 33

The authorities of interpretation of the present Rules resides in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of the People's Republic of China.

Article 34

The present Rules shall enter into force as of the date of their promulgation, and the provisions pertaining to Issues for the Examination and Approval of Resident Representative Offices of Foreign Enterprises and of Enterprises in Hong Kong and Macao (No. 272 by Wai Jing Mao Guan) shall be abrogated on the same day.