Chinese Companies Going Global: Practical Playbook

Who this playbook is for

• Industries: EV and battery, solar and equipment, electronics, robotics and automation, consumer brands, cross-border e-commerce, logistics, construction/infrastructure contractors, SaaS and gaming where host rules bite.
• Roles: founders and CEOs, international expansion leads, in-house counsel, compliance, and China-based GCs supporting overseas deals.
• Moments: first subsidiary, first major export program, first US/EU tender, first manufacturing shift to ASEAN, first serious dispute with a foreign counterparty.

90-day outbound sequence (illustrative)

Real programs slip for licences and banking—not for lack of PowerPoint. Build slack into work-permit and account-opening paths.

Step 1 — Pick (and sequence) host markets

Start with the corridor that matches your revenue and risk concentration. Each page is orientation for Chinese parties, not a substitute for local advice.

Full index: International counsel network.

Step 2 — Trade, customs, and export controls

Most outbound pain is not “company law.” It is classification, origin, tariffs, export controls, and trade remedies.

• United States: US export controls & trade compliance · US import/export compliance (valuation, Section 301 themes).
• European Union: EU trade compliance · Anti-dumping defence · Germany lens: German customs & export controls.
• China-side export engine: still need clean Chinese customs and contracting—see Trade & Customs Law Guide and China trade lawyers.

Business rule: before the first major shipment or tech transfer, run a product/technology screening memo (who classifies, who signs, what is dual-use, what is entity-list risk). Do not leave this to sales alone.

Step 3 — Investing abroad (not only exporting)

When the plan is a factory, R&D centre, or acquisition:

• US screening: CFIUS review guide for Chinese investors.
• ASEAN manufacturing: FIE setup in Vietnam · Vietnam labour for Chinese manufacturers · Indonesia company registration.
• Europe JV example: JV structuring in France.

Greenfield vs acquisition vs distributor is a commercial choice with different regulatory surfaces—map licences and land/labour early.

Step 4 — Dispute architecture before the fight

Standardise governing law, seat, language, and interim relief options in your template—not after goods are stuck.

• Singapore seat: Forum comparison (CIETAC/SIAC/HKIAC/ICC) · SIAC for Chinese parties (also practical SIAC guide on portal).
• US: New York international arbitration notes.
• UAE: UAE litigation & arbitration.
• China seat / Chinese counterparty contracts: CIETAC orientation · Cross-border disputes guide.

ASEAN manufacturing & cross-border e-commerce

• Vietnam customs/tariffs for Chinese manufacturers: portal customs valuation pieces under Vietnam themes.
• EU online selling: NL/EU e-commerce compliance.
• China e-commerce baseline (when the platform or supply still sits in China): China e-commerce law basics.

Deep dive: China vs Vietnam for manufacturing.

Board / IC checklist (outbound deal)

• [ ] Target market and revenue thesis written in one page
• [ ] Export / re-export / sanctions screening owner named
• [ ] Product HS / ECCN-style classification path (as applicable)
• [ ] Entity vs distributor vs JV decision with control matrix
• [ ] Host investment screening risk (e.g. CFIUS-type) flagged if FDI
• [ ] Employment model if local hires (entity + contracts)
• [ ] IP: what is filed where; what is only trade secret
• [ ] Template dispute clause (seat, rules, language, courts for interim relief)
• [ ] Data: where customer/HR data sits if digital product
• [ ] China-side export/customs readiness if shipping from PRC
• [ ] Named host counsel + China trade counsel; budget for year-one compliance

Common mistakes

1. Distributor signed on a WeChat PDF with no export-control or quality clause.
2. Assuming “made in Vietnam” solves origin without substantial transformation analysis.
3. US sales team shipping controlled parts without classification.
4. Buying a small US tech target without CFIUS timeline in the SPA.
5. Arbitration clause copied from an old domestic contract (wrong seat, non-existent institution).
6. No China trade counsel while only hiring host-country marketing counsel.

FAQ

Should we incorporate in Singapore first for all global ops?
Often useful as a regional hub—but tax, substance, and treaty analysis are fact-specific. Use the Singapore corridor as orientation, then local counsel.

Export controls or company law first?
If you sell hardware, software, or manufacturing equipment into the US/EU, screen trade rules in parallel with entity design—not after the first hold.

Where do we find lawyers?
International lawyers directory and corridor pages; China-side trade via trade & customs practice.

Get counsel

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Outbound knowledge centre · Inbound centre · NNN agreements (China manufacturing)