5 Easiest Ways for Remote Businesses to Set Up a Legal Entity in China (2026) 

When you're setting up in China, you need more than just company registration. MSA Asia understands this and provides integrated support from market entry planning through entity formation to the operational services you'll need immediately after incorporation. Instead of coordinating with multiple vendors for accounting, payroll, tax compliance, and regulatory filings, you work with one partner who manages everything.

What makes MSA Asia particularly valuable for remote businesses is their dedicated account manager model. You get one primary contact who understands your business across all service areas, supported by a multidisciplinary team that includes lawyers and Certified Public Accountants. This means you're not explaining your situation repeatedly to different departments or getting lost in ticket queues.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive WFOE registration across all Chinese provinces, including documentation preparation, regulatory coordination, business license acquisition, and post-registration requirements such as tax registration and bank account setup
• Integrated post-incorporation services covering accounting, payroll, tax compliance, and regulatory reporting, enabling businesses to become operational immediately after setup without vendor handoffs
• Multi-market Asian expansion support across China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and India, with consistent service delivery and a single point of contact across jurisdictions
• Employer of Record services allow businesses to hire employees in China before, or instead of, formal incorporation, while maintaining full compliance with local employment regulations

Pricing starts at $2,999

What else can you do with MSA Asia?

Beyond entity setup, MSA Asia provides the operational backbone remote businesses need to run compliantly in China. With transparent, fixed pricing that many Big 4 firms don't offer, you know exactly what you're paying upfront. Their services scale as you grow, from initial market entry through multi-location expansion, making them ideal for companies that need continuity from planning through active operations without switching providers.

Remote People takes a different approach by positioning company registration as part of a broader global hiring platform. If you're a remote business that needs to establish presence in China primarily for workforce purposes, their recruitment-to-employment model lets you source candidates and onboard them through the same provider, eliminating handoffs between recruitment agencies and employment services.

The platform combines company incorporation with Employer of Record services across 150+ countries, making it particularly useful for businesses expanding into multiple Asian markets simultaneously. Every client gets a dedicated account manager with no chatbots or ticket queues, and the compliance infrastructure is built directly into the platform rather than treated as an add-on.

Key Features:

• Company registration integrated with global workforce operations, allowing you to establish a legal presence while simultaneously building your team through owned local entities in 150+ countries
• Full-lifecycle platform from recruitment through payroll, with in-house recruiters who source and vet candidates, then transition them directly into compliant employment contracts without vendor switching
• Compliance engine that monitors regulatory changes across employment law, tax updates, leave policies, and classification risks, automatically applying updates to workforce administration
• Multi-country payroll consolidation supporting 100+ countries with gross-to-net calculations, tax filings, statutory contributions, and consolidated reporting across all jurisdictions from one dashboard

Considerations before going with Remote People:

Service coverage varies by offering, with incorporation available in fewer countries than their EOR services. Some background screening types are restricted in certain countries, and benefits packages may be limited based on local market availability.

Pricing starts at $6,900

China Company Incorporation has been helping foreign businesses enter mainland China since 2009, focusing exclusively on the Chinese market. With over 1,200 entities formed across 40+ countries served, the firm brings deep, China-specific expertise that generalist providers cannot match. Their model is built around a single dedicated incorporation manager assigned from day one, meaning you always have one point of contact rather than navigating a ticketing system or rotating teams.

What sets them apart for remote businesses is their bilingual team, every specialist is fluent in both English and Mandarin with deep fluency in Chinese corporate law, removing the language barrier that typically slows down foreign incorporations. They also operate on fixed-fee pricing, so you see the full cost before any filing begins, with no surprise invoices or billable-hour games.

Key Features: 

• Full-service entity formation covering WFOE, Joint Venture, and Representative Office structures, with entity recommendation based on your ownership model, business scope, and capital commitment before any filing is submitted 
• End-to-end WFOE formation including name pre-approval with SAMR, document translation and notarisation coordination, business license, company chops, tax registration, bank account opening in both RMB and foreign currency, and foreign exchange registration with SAFE 
• Joint Venture formation support covering due diligence on prospective Chinese partners, term sheet drafting and negotiation, JV agreement and articles of association preparation, MOFCOM approval, and SAMR registration 
• China EOR service allowing businesses to hire full-time employees in mainland China within 5 business days without needing a local entity, with compliant Chinese-law employment contracts, monthly RMB payroll, social insurance and housing fund contributions, and robust IP assignment clauses 
• Representative Office setup for businesses needing early-stage market presence without revenue-generating activities, including quarterly deemed-profit tax filings and annual reconciliation as part of ongoing support 
• Post-setup operational support covering bookkeeping, tax filing, HR, and visa services, keeping the relationship active well beyond the initial license issuance

Formation Timeline by Entity Type:

EOR vs. WFOE Comparison:

What else can you do with China Company Incorporation?

Many clients begin with the EOR service to place their first hires quickly, then graduate to a WFOE once the team grows beyond 15 people or begins invoicing locally. This staged approach reduces upfront commitment while keeping the same provider throughout, avoiding the friction of switching firms mid-expansion. Their ongoing compliance support, including bookkeeping, tax filing, HR, and visas, means the relationship continues long after the business license is issued.

EY provides professional services supporting organizations in establishing legal entities through multidisciplinary teams that include legal, tax, and advisory professionals. For remote businesses requiring coordinated entity formation across multiple Asian jurisdictions, EY's globally connected network enables integrated advisory services addressing legal, regulatory, and operational requirements.

The firm assists organizations in jurisdiction selection, legal entity structuring, regulatory registration, and ongoing entity maintenance. EY professionals help businesses evaluate market conditions, assess regulatory frameworks, and structure operations in alignment with strategic objectives while maintaining compliance with local requirements.

Key Features:

• Jurisdiction selection advisory services helping organizations evaluate regulatory, tax, and operational considerations across markets to determine optimal locations for entity establishment and operational structuring
• Legal entity structuring expertise combining legal advisory, tax knowledge, and operational insights to develop entity structures designed to reduce complexity across international operations and regulatory environments
• Ongoing entity maintenance support helping organizations maintain legal entities in accordance with regulatory requirements, manage governance responsibilities, and address compliance obligations across jurisdictions where they operate
• Regulatory filings and reporting assistance supporting organizations in navigating reporting requirements, preparing required documentation, and ensuring regulatory filings align with local compliance expectations across different markets

Considerations before going with EY:

EY delivers services through advisory and consulting engagements structured around professional services models rather than productized solutions. Service delivery may involve collaboration across multiple member firms depending on jurisdiction and engagement nature, requiring coordination across service lines.

Custom Pricing:

EY determines pricing based on engagement scope, complexity, and requirements. Services are delivered through customized professional service engagements with pricing structures varying depending on services provided and the scale of operational or strategic objectives, typically serving organizations with complex multi-jurisdiction requirements.

Deloitte provides advisory services supporting organizations during business expansion through its global network of independent member firms. For remote businesses requiring entity formation as part of broader transformation initiatives, Deloitte combines legal expertise with business knowledge to address complex legal and corporate matters.

The organization helps businesses navigate regulatory requirements and compliance frameworks across jurisdictions through regulatory and risk advisory capabilities. Deloitte assists in strengthening governance, improving compliance frameworks, and addressing regulatory challenges in evolving business environments.

Key Features:

• Cross-border corporate structuring support, providing global expertise combined with local regulatory knowledge to help organizations operate across multiple jurisdictions and navigate complex cross-border business challenges
• Integrated operational business services, including finance operations, HR and payroll operations, tax compliance, and accounting services, to support businesses beyond initial entity formation through ongoing operations
• Operate services portfolio enabling organizations to manage critical business functions through managed services and operational support, combining technology capabilities, industry expertise, and global delivery infrastructure
• Legal and corporate structuring advisory helping businesses manage legal risks, support corporate transactions, and integrate legal considerations into strategic decision-making during entity formation and expansion

Considerations before going with Deloitte:

Deloitte operates as a network of independent member firms, meaning service availability and scope may vary depending on jurisdiction, regulatory requirements, and specific member firm capabilities. Service delivery may require coordination between multiple firms across regions.

Custom Pricing:

Deloitte determines pricing based on engagement scope, complexity, and duration. Fees vary depending on service type, expertise required, and resources involved. Pricing structures are defined through individual client agreements with engagements tailored to specific client needs, primarily serving large enterprises and multinational corporations.