Why now is the right time for a health check?
Foreign-invested companies in China face various compliance issues that can impact their operations and expose them to unknown risks and liabilities. Common challenges include:
- Late or Incorrect Filings, which can result in fines and penalties
- Hidden Tax, Legal, or Operational Risks that may affect your bottom line
- Operational Inefficiencies that can drain productivity and increase costs
Is your China business healthy?
A health check is an effective way to identify potential problems and areas of risk before they become serious problems. Foreign companies are advised to identify and address such issues early and often to avoid costly delays, regulatory inquiries, and penalties down the road.
For a limited time, the Dezan Shira & Associates East China practice is offering complimentary health checks to foreign invested companies located in Shanghai and East China region.
Discover how we can help optimize your operations and keep you in compliance.
What areas of my company can be assessed in a Health Check?
China Compliance
- Clarification of your Chinese entity’s legal structure (e.g., Joint Venture, Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise, Representative Office).
- Review of necessary licenses and permits required for lawful operation.
Governance Structure
- Updating the Articles of Association in accordance with the new Company Law.
- Filing of the Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) with local authorities (new 2025 requirement).
- Clarification of senior executives’ specific legal liabilities.
- Filing of accurate senior executive records with government authorities.
Operation and Controlling
- Review of the funding legality of the China entity (e.g., proper reporting of overseas loans, etc.).
- Joint Venture majority shareholders: confirmation of controlling power.
- Joint Venture minority shareholders: confirmation of access rights to accounting books, financial statements, audit reports, and board resolutions.
- Evaluation of dividends receiving and remitting process (e.g, legal or regulatory obligations or hurdles).
- Review management and control of company seals.
- Review of due diligence performed on business partners in China.
- Review of in-place intellectual property rights protections.
- Supplementary discussion regarding relocation, or overseas expansion.
Sales revenue and China VAT invoice management
- Identify potential mismatches between VAT invoice limitations and business needs.
- Identify the distinction between accrual-based revenue recognition and VAT invoice issuance timing.
- Identify any unusual fluctuations in monthly income.
Goods exports and imports
- Review of whether export records match declared income for export tax rebates.
- Review of complexities and difficulties in the export rebate application process.
- Assessment of risks associated with exporting under another company's name, which may impact tax rebate eligibility.
- Verification of whether import VAT is fully deductible.
Overseas receipts and payments under non-trade items
- Fulfillment of proper tax declaration obligations and eligibility for corresponding tax preferences.
- Compliance with foreign exchange declaration requirements.
- Evaluation of tax deduction compliance related to enterprise income tax.
- Clarification of procedures for profit repatriation and assessment of financial and tax implications.
Accounts Receivable
- Consideration of an aging analysis report.
- Verification that collections are accurately settled against corresponding sales invoices.
- Identification of long-term risks associated with accounts receivable and potential bad debts.
Accounts Payable and Employee Reimbursements
- Consideration of a structured supplier management process.
- Differentiation of the validity of value-added tax invoice when claiming reimbursements and arrange vendor payments for employees and the company.
Inventory Management and Cost Accounting
- Assessment of whether inventory data is obtained accurately and in a timely manner.
- Identification of potential asset losses due to poor management.
Other issues
- Review of the fixed asset depreciation methodology.
- Review of double taxation in cross-border business.
- Understanding of Chinese accounting and taxation explanations from finance and tax consultants.
Recruitment
- Review of labor contracts for employees in China.
- Understanding legal procedures for hiring part-time employees.
- Optimization of expatriate compensation packages to minimize tax burdens.
- Review of the lawful handling of employees' personal information.
Termination
- Implementation of risk mitigation strategies when terminating high-level employees.
- Understanding of key points and procedures for mass layoffs in China.
- Development of a response plan for cases where employees copy confidential company files/documents.
Regulatory
- Assessment of how evolving Chinese data regulations impact business operations.
- Establishment of an internal data compliance program.
- Preparation for ongoing changes in China's cross-border data transfer regulations.
Technical
- Conducting regular audits of IT infrastructure.
- Verification of compliance regarding permitted hardware/software deployment in China.
- Addressing concerns about data leaks due to infrastructure configurations.
- Implementation of a well-defined and compliant procurement program.
Have a question? Contact our East China Business Health Check Team
Send us an enquiryDownload the Offer
RELATED INSIGHTS
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- China Issues New Regulations on Network Data Security Management, Effective January 1, 2025
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What is on offer in Shanghai and East China?
Our Shanghai and East China Practice is offering health checks at no charge to eligible foreign-invested companies in Shanghai and East China. This offer is valid until December 31, 2025. See full conditions at the bottom of this page.
Who Can Take Advantage of the Offer:
This offer is available to Foreign-invested enterprises registered and operating in the Shanghai and East China region which are not clients and have not engaged Dezan Shira & Associates Shanghai and East China for services in the past 3 years. If this matches your company, we’d love to hear from you.
What this offer includes*:
The free health check may cover any one or two sections of the below four available areas of your business:
- Corporate Governance,
- Finance and Tax,
- HR & Payroll,
- IT Systems and Compliance.
The free health check offer includes a free consultation conducted by a senior expert advisor in Dezan Shira & Associates, an expert analysis of your company’s information, and a Free Healthcheck report including a high-level assessment and tailored recommendations.
How to take advantage of this offer (4 steps)

Choose Your Sections and Enquire – Select up to two sections that best align with your needs, list your main concerns and click “Contact Our Team”.
We Provide an Expert Consultation – A dedicated advisor will contact you within 48 working hours to discuss your needs and arrange the next steps, including background communication and any necessary document collection.
Receive Your Health Check Report – Your customized report will be delivered to you, normally within two weeks.
Expert Consultation to Assist Interpretation will be scheduled within the following one week.
Enquire now about a free Shanghai and East China Health Check
Contact Our TeamEligibility and Declarations:
- This offer is eligible to perform a health check on companies registered in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces that are not a current or past client of Dezan Shira & Associates.
- This report is issued on the terms and understanding that (1) Dezan Shira & Associates is not responsible for the results of any actions taken on the basis of information in this report, nor for any error in or omission from this report; and (2) Dezan Shira & Associates expressly disclaims all and any liability and responsibility to any person, whether a reader of this report, in respect of anything, and of the consequences of anything, done, or omitted to be done by any such person in reliance, whether wholly or partially, upon the whole or any part of the contents of this report.
- Dezan Shira & Associates reserves the right of final interpretation of the complimentary health check.
Contact our Experts
Since its establishment in 1992, Dezan Shira & Associates has become one of Asia's most versatile consultancies with more than 600 lawyers, accountants, auditors, HR professionals, business intelligence and technology experts, delivering fully integrated services from more than 35 global offices. Our East China business health check leadership team: