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A Chinese company’s registered Chinese name is its formal name in the Chinese registration system. For foreign buyers, it matters more than an English trade name, platform store name, website name, or sales email signature.

Many China supply-chain disputes start with an identity problem: which company sold the goods, received the money, stamped the document, promised the refund, and should be legally responsible?

The short definition

The registered Chinese name is the legal name recorded with the Chinese registration authority . It normally appears on the business license, the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System国家市场监督管理总局国家企业信用信息公示系统查询中国企业登记、行政处罚、经营异常等信用信息的官方系统。www.gsxt.gov.cn, the company chop, contract heading, invoice, and bank account.

Statute Art. 6 enterprise name structure

Art. 6www.gov.cn企业名称登记管理规定_工商_中国政府网《企业名称登记管理规定》已经2020年12月14日国务院第118次常务会议修订通过，现予公布，自2021年3月1日起施行。www.gov.cn of the Enterprise Name Registration Regulation: a name consists of the administrative division, trade name (字号), industry, and organizational form. An enterprise may register only one name.

An English name is often only a commercial label. It may come from Alibaba, a trade show booth, a domain name, export paperwork, or a salesperson’s email. It can help communication, but it cannot replace the registered Chinese name.

Why English names mislead buyers

One supplier may use several English names: factory name, trading name, brand name, platform name, and Hong Kong company name. They may look connected, but they may not be the same legal person.

A buyer may think it is dealing with “Huaxin Factory.” The business license may show 深圳华信贸易有限公司, the chop may show 东莞华信电子有限公司, and the bank account may belong to a Hong Kong company. Each name may have some commercial connection, but the legal responsibility can be different.

If a dispute occurs, the supplier may say: the contract was not signed by us, the money was not received by us, production was not our responsibility, or the salesperson had no authority. At that point, the English name does not answer the legal question.

How to check the name

First, copy the Chinese name from the business license. Do not rely only on screenshots .

Evidence Registry record over screenshots

The National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System国家市场监督管理总局国家企业信用信息公示系统查询中国企业登记、行政处罚、经营异常等信用信息的官方系统。www.gsxt.gov.cn is the authoritative public record. Search the exact Chinese name or credit code and save a dated copy of the result.

Second, check whether the chop name matches. Related reading: China Company Chop Meaning.

Third, make the contract party use the same Chinese name. If the contract uses an English name, add the registered Chinese name and Unified Social Credit Code .

Term Unified Social Credit Code

An 18-character code assigned at registration; one code per entity, unchanged for the entity’s life. It uniquely identifies a Chinese legal person. State Council schemewww.gov.cn国务院关于批转发展改革委等部门法人和其他组织统一社会信用代码制度建设总体方案的通知_社会信用体系建设_中国政府网www.gov.cn.

Fourth, check the bank beneficiary . If the payee is not the contract party, ask for written explanation and authorization.

Evidence Payee name must match

A Chinese company’s bank account is opened under its exact registered name. A payee that differs usually means a third party is receiving the money, so the contract party should authorize it in writing.

Mainland and Hong Kong entities

Many China sourcing structures include a Hong Kong company. It may collect payment, sign a contract, or handle export arrangements while a Mainland factory produces the goods. That structure is not automatically wrong, but the buyer must know who is legally bound.

If the Hong Kong company signs the contract and the Mainland factory does not sign or stamp anything, the factory may not be directly liable under the contract . If you need the factory to promise quality, delivery, confidentiality, return of tooling, or refund obligations, the contract structure should include the relevant party.

Statute Art. 465 contract binds its parties

Art. 465www.court.gov.cn中华人民共和国民法典 - 中华人民共和国最高人民法院最高人民法院政务网站,最高人民法院网，最高人民法院，最高人民法院网是人民群众了解和联系最高人民法院的重要窗口，承载着司法公开、法治宣传、服务群众、接受监督等重要使命。是最高人民法院的政务网站，是最高人民法院在互联网上唯一的正式身份。www.court.gov.cn of the PRC Civil Code: a lawfully formed contract binds only its parties unless the law provides otherwise. A non-signing factory is generally outside the contract.

The bottom line

The basic move in China supply-chain work is to identify the registered Chinese name and align the contract, chop, license, invoice, and bank account around it.

English names help communication. They should not be the endpoint of legal-entity verification.

If you are unsure how a supplier’s English name, Chinese name, Hong Kong company, and Mainland factory fit together, contact me.

References

  1. State Council, Regulation on the Administration of Enterprise Name Registration (Order No. 734), including Articles 4 and 6: https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2021-01/19/content_5581091.htmwww.gov.cn企业名称登记管理规定_工商_中国政府网《企业名称登记管理规定》已经2020年12月14日国务院第118次常务会议修订通过，现予公布，自2021年3月1日起施行。www.gov.cn
  2. State Council, Regulation on the Administration of Registration of Market Entities (Order No. 746), including Articles 8 and 10: https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2021-08/24/content_5632964.htmwww.gov.cn中华人民共和国市场主体登记管理条例_工商_中国政府网《中华人民共和国市场主体登记管理条例》已经2021年4月14日国务院第131次常务会议通过，现予公布，自2022年3月1日起施行。www.gov.cn
  3. Supreme People’s Court, PRC Civil Code, including Article 465: https://www.court.gov.cn/zixun/xiangqing/233181.htmlwww.court.gov.cn中华人民共和国民法典 - 中华人民共和国最高人民法院最高人民法院政务网站,最高人民法院网，最高人民法院，最高人民法院网是人民群众了解和联系最高人民法院的重要窗口，承载着司法公开、法治宣传、服务群众、接受监督等重要使命。是最高人民法院的政务网站，是最高人民法院在互联网上唯一的正式身份。www.court.gov.cn
  4. State Council, Overall Plan for the Unified Social Credit Code System for Legal Persons and Other Organizations (Guo Fa (2015) No. 33): https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2015-06/17/content_9858.htmwww.gov.cn国务院关于批转发展改革委等部门法人和其他组织统一社会信用代码制度建设总体方案的通知_社会信用体系建设_中国政府网www.gov.cn
  5. State Administration for Market Regulation, National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System: https://www.gsxt.gov.cn/国家市场监督管理总局国家企业信用信息公示系统查询中国企业登记、行政处罚、经营异常等信用信息的官方系统。www.gsxt.gov.cn

This article is part of the China Legal Glossary series. Related reading: What Is a China Business License?, What Is a China Social Credit Code?, and China Company Chop Meaning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Chinese supplier English name its legal name?

Usually not. It may be a trade name, platform name, brand name, or self-translation, not the registered legal name in China.

Where can I find the registered Chinese name?

It usually appears on the business license, public registry record, company chop, contract party line, invoice, and bank account name.

What is the risk of using only an English company name?

If the English name cannot be tied to the correct Chinese entity, demand letters, arbitration, litigation, and asset preservation become harder.