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June 16, 2019

What Is the Difference between Registering a Representative Office and Filing for Temporary Activities?

What is the difference between registering as a representative office and filing for temporary activities? Should my organization register as a foreign NGO or simply hold a temporary activity?

A representative office allows for the establishment of a full-time presence in mainland China. For organizations that do not require such a constant in-country presence, filing to hold a single or multiple temporary activities is an alternative way to carry out projects in China. See our FAQ series on representative offices and temporary activities for more information on each.

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