WFOE ops hub · Legal representative · 5-year capital · Liquidation · Entity choice.
Split custody: official chop, finance chop, contract chop, invoice (fapiao) chop, legal-representative personal chop, and the bank token are not one drawer. The official chop is the one that typically binds third parties. Loss or hostage is a same-week police / public-notice / PSB remake file — not an HR negotiation. You generally cannot apply to remake by stamping the form with the missing chop. Electronic seals are a local add-on; they do not retire the physical official chop by themselves. Liquidation, LR change and banks all stop without these objects.
At a glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Which chop binds? | Usually the official company chop. |
| One person all chops? | Classic hostage / fraud pattern. |
| Lost chop? | Police → notice → PSB remake. Same week. |
| E-seal enough? | Not by itself. Local rules + keep physical control. |
| Blocks liquidation? | Yes — see the liquidation page. |
Scope and legal framework
Official chop / PSB filing. Company seals are carved through licensed makers and filed with public security. The official chop is the company’s primary external authority mark.
Contract and appearance. A document bearing the genuine official chop is commonly treated as the company’s act vis-à-vis good-faith third parties, even if internal approval was missing. Internal SOP is for control — it does not always unwind the third-party deal.
Loss, theft, hostage. Report, public invalidation notice, PSB cancellation / remake. Banks and counterparties need the new impression. Labour disputes that become chop hostage are still this process.
Practical workflow (loss or hostage)
- Same day: police report; freeze bank instructions if finance chop or token is also gone.
- Public notice that the old impression is void (local designated paper / platform).
- PSB remake via a licensed maker; destroy or record the old filing.
- Update banks, tax, customs and key counterparties.
Common mistakes
- Leaving every chop with the GM “because they are local.”
- Waiting for bonus season to ask for the official chop back.
- Assuming HQ DocuSign replaces the official chop on a China contract.
Action checklist
- Written custody map (who, where, dual control).
- Use log for official + finance chops.
- Photos of current impressions in the board pack.
- Police-station address and designated newspaper already known.
- LR change pack does not depend on the same single person.
Find China formation counsel
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