Verification checklist
- Registered name in Chinese, USCC and status on the official enterprise credit system
- Legal representative, shareholders and registered capital (and whether it’s been paid in)
- Business scope: is the company actually allowed to do what it’s selling?
- Litigation, enforcement and dishonest-debtor list records
- Related companies and changes of ownership
- Whether the bank account and chops match the contracting entity
Deeper due diligence
For acquisitions and joint ventures we add contracts, licences, employment, tax, real estate and IP reviews, with a written report in English.
Related: Contracts & disputes · Joint ventures · What is a USCC?
Frequently asked questions
Can't I just check the business licence myself?
You can check the basic registration in the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System. The risks are usually elsewhere: a different company name on the bank account, related companies, unpaid judgments or a legal representative on an enforcement blacklist.
What's the most common red flag?
A payment request to an account that doesn't belong to the contracting company, often a personal account or a Hong Kong company with a similar name. Never pay until that's explained in writing.
Reviewed by Admin, Choi & Partners · 3 October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.