Implement the trial measures for mutual recognition of the subject qualification documents of foreign investors between the two places

To continuously optimize the business environment, promote the "twin-city story" of Hangzhou and Ningbo, further benefit the people and enterprises by deepening reforms to facilitate foreign investment, effectively simplify the materials submitted for registration of foreign-invested business entities—including documents proving the legal status of foreign investors—and comprehensively advance the reform goal of enhancing services for high-quality development of business entities, this measure is hereby formulated.

I.For the purposes of this measure, "foreign investor" refers to natural persons, enterprises, or other organizations from foreign countries.

Investors from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region, and Taiwan shall be governed in accordance with this measure.

II.This measure applies to all types of registration and filing procedures—such as establishment, modification, cancellation, foreign-invested mergers and acquisitions, and equity pledges—of foreign-invested business entities handled by the business registration authorities (hereinafter referred to as "registration authorities") in Hangzhou City and Ningbo City, where foreign investors are required to submit documents proving their legal status.

III.The documents proving legal status referred to in this measure include:

(1) Documents proving the legal status of foreign investors that have been notarized by the competent authority of their home country, then authenticated by the Chinese embassy (or consulate) in that country, or by the embassy (or consulate) of a third country that maintains diplomatic relations with China located in that country, and finally authenticated by the Chinese embassy (or consulate) in that third country.

(2) If the investor's home country is a contracting state to the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, the documents proving legal status shall consist of a notarized document issued by the competent authority of their home country and an apostille issued by the authorized local authority (except for countries whose sovereign status is not recognized by China or for which the convention does not apply).

(3) For investors from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region, and Taiwan, the documents proving legal status shall be notarized documents issued by local notary institutions in accordance with specific regulations or agreements.

Should the requirements for submitted materials stipulated by the State Administration for Market Regulation change, the latest requirements shall prevail.

IV.For foreign investors who have already established a foreign-invested business entity at any registration authority in Hangzhou City or Ningbo City and have submitted original documents proving their legal status that have been notarized and authenticated, within the validity period of such documents (if no validity period is specified, within one year from the date of notarization and authentication), if the same foreign investor subsequently invests in another region, they may submit a copy of the documents proving legal status bearing the official archive seal issued by the archives department of the registration authority where the entity was originally established (hereinafter referred to as the "archival copy of legal status documents") as proof of legal status. If the original documents were initially limited to use within a specific region, this shall not affect the applicability of mutual recognition of archival copies across regions.

V.When foreign investors submit archival copies of legal status documents in accordance with this measure, they must ensure that the information recorded on these copies accurately reflects their current situation and is true and correct.

VI.The registration authorities of Hangzhou City and Ningbo City will strengthen coordination and cooperation, establish liaison mechanisms, promote information sharing, and perform ex-ante and ex-post supervision of business entity registrations in accordance with their respective duties and responsibilities.

VII.In line with the deployment of the People's Governments of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou City, and Ningbo City, and in response to the requirements for building the "twin-city story" of Hangzhou and Ningbo, the registration authorities of Hangzhou City and Ningbo City will continue to simplify the documentation required for proving the legal status of foreign investors, further enhance the convenience of registering foreign-invested business entities, and optimize the business environment to support high-quality development.

VIII.If any registration authority in Hangzhou City or Ningbo City mutually recognizes documents proving legal status with other registration authorities, those other regions may grant equivalent mutual recognition effect in accordance with this measure. If other registration authorities recognize the provisions of this measure regarding the acceptance and mutual recognition of documents proving legal status for foreign investors, the registration authorities of Hangzhou City and Ningbo City will grant equivalent mutual recognition effect based on this measure.

IX.This measure shall come into force on October 15, 2025, and remain valid until December 31, 2030.