TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION SERVICES

Commercial Presence in China
  • Foreign service suppliers may provide translation and interpretation services through joint ventures, with foreign majority ownership permitted. 
  • Translators must have at least three years of experience in translation or interpretation and a “good command of the working language(s).”
Presence of Natural Persons in China
  • Managers, executives and specialists of a representative office, branch or subsidiary in China, temporarily moving as intra-corporate transferees, will be permitted an initial stay of three years.
  • Managers, executives, and specialists of foreign-invested enterprises in China will be granted a long-term stay permit as stipulated in the terms of contracts concerned or an initial stay of three years, whichever is shorter.
  • Service salespersons who are not based in China, and who meet certain other conditions set forth in China’s services schedule, are limited to a 90-day stay.  
Cross-Border Supply of Services
  • The cross border supply of translation and interpretation services by a foreign supplier is not subject to market access restrictions and is accorded national treatment.
Consumption of Services Abroad
  • The provision of translation and interpretation services outside of China is not subject to market access restrictions and is accorded national treatment. 
Acquired Rights of Foreign Service Suppliers
  • The conditions of ownership, operation and scope of activities for an existing foreign service supplier, as set out in the supplier’s contract or shareholders’ agreement or in a license establishing or authorizing the supplier’s operation or supply of services, will not be made more restrictive than they were on December 11, 2001. 

December 2001
Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration
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