China vs United States

Foreign-invested companies in China (commonly a WFOE or joint venture) register with the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and obtain a unified business license. Setup involves name approval, registered capital, a business scope and post-registration tax and bank steps.

There is no federal company registry in the U.S. — you form a company (usually an LLC or C-corporation) at the state level, most often in your home state or Delaware. Formation is fast and online in most states; you then obtain a federal EIN from the IRS for tax and banking.

China's banking is dominated by large state banks and is highly digital (Alipay and WeChat Pay are used almost everywhere). Foreigners can open accounts with a passport and often proof of local ties; a Chinese phone number is usually needed for mobile payments. The People's Bank of China is the central bank.

To open a U.S. business bank account you generally need an EIN, your formation documents, ownership / beneficial-owner information, and ID for the signers. Banks run KYC (identity) and anti-money-laundering checks. Requirements vary by bank, business structure and owner residency. Non-residents can often open an account, but some banks require a U.S. address, a U.S. phone number, or an in-person visit. Personal accounts follow similar identity checks but use personal ID and a Social Security Number (SSN) or ITIN.

Foreign investment in China is governed by the Foreign Investment Law and a 'negative list' that limits or bars certain sectors; outside the list, foreign investors get national treatment. You set up a WFOE or joint venture, register with the authorities, and manage capital and profit repatriation under SAFE foreign-exchange rules; free-trade zones offer openings.

The U.S. welcomes foreign direct investment — starting a company, expanding, acquiring a business, or building manufacturing/R&D/logistics operations. There is no single federal approval office: SelectUSA promotes investment at the federal level, most incentives are offered by state and local agencies, and some deals are reviewed by CFIUS for national security. Public-company filings are free on SEC EDGAR, and FDI statistics are published by the BEA.

China's main taxes are Individual Income Tax (IIT), Corporate Income Tax and VAT, administered by the State Taxation Administration. Tax residents (generally 183+ days) are taxed on worldwide income, with a six-year rule easing this for some foreigners.

The U.S. taxes federal income (IRS) plus state and often local taxes; rates vary by state and some have no income tax. U.S. citizens and residents are taxed on worldwide income — the U.S. is unusual in taxing citizens who live abroad. Businesses file federal and state returns.

Foreigners generally work in China on a Z visa, obtained after securing a job and a work-permit notification, then converted to a work-type residence permit after arrival. The employer and local foreigner-work authorities drive the process; there is no general work visa without an employer.

Most people work in the U.S. on an employer-sponsored nonimmigrant visa such as the H-1B (specialty occupation, capped and lottery-based), L-1 (intra-company transfer) or O-1 (extraordinary ability). Almost all routes require a U.S. employer to petition for you with USCIS; there is no general 'work visa' you can apply for on your own.

Study in China uses the X1 visa for programmes longer than 180 days and the X2 visa for 180 days or fewer. The university issues an Admission Notice and a JW202 form (JW201 for Chinese-Government-Scholarship students), which you submit with the visa application. The critical step after arriving on an X1: you must convert it into a residence permit within 30 days. A Foreigner Physical Examination Record and proof of funds are commonly required.

Full-time study in the United States generally needs an F-1 student visa (M-1 for vocational study). An SEVP-certified school admits you and issues a Form I-20; you then pay the SEVIS I-901 fee, complete the DS-160 and attend a visa interview at a US embassy or consulate. You must show funds for tuition and living costs and ties to your home country.

Tourism in China normally uses the L (tourist) visa, applied for before travel through a Chinese visa application service centre. China has also expanded visa-free options — unilateral visa-free entry for a growing list of nationalities (up to 30 days as of 2026) and visa-free transit at designated ports. Visa-free entry covers tourism and business only, never work; confirm current eligibility with the National Immigration Administration.

Short visits to the United States use the B-1/B-2 visitor visa, unless you qualify for the Visa Waiver Program — nationals of participating countries travel for up to 90 days with an approved ESTA instead. B-visa applicants complete Form DS-160 and attend an interview at a US embassy or consulate. Visitor status never permits employment.

China's permanent residence ('green card') is hard to obtain and granted mainly to high-level talent, significant investors, and close family of Chinese citizens or permanent residents. The National Immigration Administration handles applications.

U.S. permanent residence (a green card) comes through family, employment, investment (EB-5), the diversity lottery or humanitarian routes. Employment green cards (EB-1/2/3) usually require an employer and labor certification, and priority-date backlogs can be long.

Chinese nationality is difficult to acquire by naturalization and generally requires close family ties to Chinese nationals or long settled residence, subject to approval. China does not recognize dual nationality.

U.S. citizenship by naturalization generally requires five years as a green-card holder (three if married to a U.S. citizen), continuous residence, good moral character, and passing English and civics tests. Those born in the U.S. are citizens by birth.

Chinese employment requires a written labour contract within a month of starting; local minimum wages apply, the standard week is 40 hours with capped overtime, and statutory paid annual leave runs 5-15 days by total service. Employers must pay the 'five insurances and one housing fund'; disputes go to labour arbitration before the courts.

US employment is generally 'at-will' — either side can end it — but federal law (the FLSA via the Department of Labor) sets minimum wage and overtime, and the EEOC enforces anti-discrimination rules. There is no federal statutory paid annual leave; states add their own protections, so your state matters.

Chinese trade clears through China Customs (GACC). You record-file as a consignee/consignor, then declare via the China International Trade Single Window. Goods are classified by HS code for import duty plus import VAT (usually 13%) and, for some products, consumption tax. Controlled goods need MOFCOM licences; advance rulings give certainty.

US importers and exporters clear goods through US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). You file entries under an importer number, classify goods by HTS code to find the duty rate, meet any partner-agency rules (FDA, USDA…), and pay duties. Exports follow the Export Administration Regulations; binding tariff rulings and disputes go through CBP.

Chinese trademarks are registered with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). China is strictly first-to-file, so registering early is essential. You search the register, file under the Chinese sub-class system, and after examination the mark publishes for a three-month opposition period. A Chinese trademark lasts 10 years and is renewable.

US trademarks are registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). You search the register for conflicts, file an application specifying goods/services classes, and respond to examination before it publishes for opposition and registers. Registration lasts 10 years and is renewable; patents go through the USPTO and copyright through the Copyright Office.

Public employment services in China are overseen by MOHRSS, which runs a national online job platform alongside local public employment service centres, while commercial platforms are widely used too. For foreign nationals the requirement is two documents rather than one: a Foreigner's Work Permit and a work-type residence permit. The work permits are also tiered A, B and C according to qualifications and salary, so which tier you fall into shapes what is open to you.

There is no single national job board for the US private sector — hiring is spread across company sites and commercial boards, so anyone looking for one official place to search will not find it. What does exist officially is split by sector: CareerOneStop, run by the Department of Labor, is the hub for job search, training and career tools, while USAJOBS covers federal-government roles. Foreign nationals generally need work authorisation in place before taking up a job, not after finding one.

China has NO national minimum wage at all. Each of the 31 provinces and municipalities sets its own, and many run several local tiers within a single province — so the rate depends not just on which province you are in but on which tier your city or district falls into. MOHRSS issues guidelines while provincial governments set and update the actual rates, meaning the figure you need is always a local one. Pay is quoted gross, with individual income tax and social-insurance contributions reducing take-home.

US pay is largely market-set, with the federal minimum wage as the legal floor — and that floor has been USD 7.25/hour since 2009, so in much of the country it is no longer the operative number. Many states and cities set higher minimums, and where they do, the higher rate applies. For earnings by occupation and area, use the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS rather than crowd-sourced salary sites. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division enforces minimum wage and overtime under the FLSA.

China's main scholarship is the Chinese Government Scholarship (CGS), administered by the China Scholarship Council (CSC), covering tuition, accommodation and a stipend; there are also provincial scholarships (such as Shanghai's), Confucius Institute (Chinese language) scholarships and university awards. Explore options on the CSC / Campus China site and apply by the deadline.

There is no single US government scholarship for all international students — funding is mostly institutional (university assistantships, fellowships and merit aid) plus flagship programs like the Fulbright Foreign Student Program. Start with EducationUSA advising and each university's financial-aid office, and apply early because deadlines are often a year ahead.

To study in China you apply through the CSC (for scholarships) or directly to a university; on admission you receive an admission notice and a JW201 (government-scholarship) or JW202 (self-funded) form. With these you apply for an X1 visa (studies over 180 days) or X2 (up to 180 days), then convert the X1 to a residence permit within 30 days of arrival.

To study in the US you apply directly to each university, and once accepted the school issues a Form I-20 that lets you get an F-1 student visa (pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and attend a consular interview). Use EducationUSA advising to shortlist schools, and apply about a year ahead because admission and funding deadlines are early.

In China, foreigners can generally buy just one residential property for self-use, and usually only after studying or working in the country for at least a year (city rules vary and some cities are stricter). Ownership is a land-use right (commonly 70 years for residential), not freehold. Renters should complete temporary-residence registration with the police; purchases are registered at the local real-estate registry with deed tax.

The United States places no restriction on foreigners renting or buying a home. Renting usually means a credit/income check and a security deposit (commonly one to two months' rent, capped by many states). Buyers use a realtor and a title/escrow company; non-resident buyers can get a mortgage but typically need a larger down payment. Annual property tax is set locally.

China's basic medical insurance, overseen by the National Healthcare Security Administration, covers around 95% of the population through two schemes: employee basic medical insurance and resident basic medical insurance. Foreigners working in China can usually join the employee scheme; rules for other foreign residents vary by city. The practical catch is local variation — reimbursement levels, drug lists and designated hospitals differ by locality, and private cover is common for international hospitals.

The US has no universal public healthcare. Most people are covered through an employer plan or buy coverage on the ACA Marketplace at HealthCare.gov, with Medicare for those 65+ and Medicaid for low-income residents under state-varying rules. Foreign nationals usually rely on employer or private insurance; lawfully-present immigrants can buy Marketplace plans but typically wait five years for Medicaid or Medicare. Care is very costly without coverage.

China's social insurance is usually called "five insurances and one fund" (五险一金): pension, medical, unemployment, work-injury and maternity insurance, plus the Housing Provident Fund — note that the last is a savings fund rather than an insurance. It is administered through MOHRSS and local bureaus, and foreigners in formal employment generally participate. Motor third-party liability insurance (jiaoqiang) is compulsory for vehicles, and commercial insurers are regulated by the National Financial Regulatory Administration.

US insurance has two layers that answer to different authorities. Federal social insurance — Social Security and Medicare — is funded by FICA payroll taxes and administered by the Social Security Administration. Almost everything else you buy (auto, home, life) is regulated by your state, not federally. Auto liability insurance is mandatory in almost every state, and to check an insurer is licensed you go to your state insurance department, whose directory is on the NAIC site.