Hi, a friend of mine wants’ to open up an advertisement agency here in shanghai. In Europe he is already doing this business and he is planning to expand his business to china. He owns a “full service” agency that designs events, exhibitions, road shows and product launches for the travel, automobile, real estate and luxury industry. As an example I would like to point you to the sponsor pavilions during the Beijing Olympics.

I know that there are already quite a few foreign companies working here “sucessfully” so my questions are:

1. is it possible to get such a company registered as a consulting wfoe or what are the alternatives ?
2. Can he offer the same “full service” he is offering in Europe? If not, what can he offer?
3. Where can I find more information’s about entry barriers in the advertisment (or Media) industry. (English or Chinese).

1. is it possible to get such a company registered as a consulting wfoe or what are the alternatives ?
2. Can he offer the same “full service” he is offering in Europe? If not, what can he offer?
3. Where can I find more information’s about entry barriers in the advertisment (or Media) industry. (English or Chinese).

1. yes, you can registered as a consulting wfoe in China
2. yes, he can offer the same “full service” in china.
3. clcik here to see the information from this website,
http://www.mckinsey.com/locations/greaterchina/

1. you can set up a Advertisement WFOE directly according to the current PRC Law.

2. Each company in China has Business License which clarify the specific business scope, all the company shall run within its business scope. So you cannot add full service into the business scope

3. if you need more information regarding Advertisement WFOE set up, pls send e-mail to jzhang@rhklegal.cn

If this advertisement company would also organizes events and shows, would it be possible to make money with ticket sales? Is that only possible as a JV or is a WFOE also allowed to do that.

Can somebody point me to the laws (can also be in Chinese) and government departments that effect the advertisement and event industry.
I defiantly agree that I need a consulting, but I would like to know first more by myself.

Thank you very much !!!

You may get the business structure setup, but then getting approval to do events requires its own licenses and approval depending on the industry and what you are competing against. Music event? Exibition? Auto industry exibition? Conference? Inside or outside? probably more ways to look at it, especially if you plan to do the events in the next year in Shanghai (Expo will have some affect on that ). It is important to pick the right business structure and there are businesses here on this board that can help with that.. but really thats the easy part.