ISSUING AUTHORITIES:

Shandong Administration for Market Regulation

Shanxi Administration for Market Regulation

Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Administration for Market Regulation

Henan Administration for Market Regulation

Shaanxi Administration for Market Regulation

Gansu Administration for Market Regulation

Qinghai Administration for Market Regulation

Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Administration for Market Regulation

DATE OF ISSUANCE:

May 28, 2026

EFFECTIVE DATE:

July 1, 2026

Eight provincial-level market regulation authorities along the Yellow River have jointly issued a work plan to mutually recognize foreign (regional) investor qualification documents across the region. Effective July 1, the policy allows foreign investors already present in any of the eight provinces/autonomous regions to reuse their existing qualification documents when investing elsewhere in the region — without re-notarization or re-authentication.

Under the new rules, eligible investors may apply for mutual recognition when establishing a new FIE, acquiring equity or ownership interests in an existing domestic enterprise, or registering equity pledges.

The investor’s original qualification document must already be on file in the registration records of the existing foreign-invested enterprise and remain within its validity period; the document must carry no regional use restrictions that have been exceeded; and it must bear no wording such as “copies not permitted for use” or “copy invalid.” The mutual recognition pathway does not apply if the proposed business involves pre-licensing items, the existing investee enterprise is on the abnormal operations list or serious untrustworthy entity list without completed credit status restoration, the enterprise is under investigation, administrative enforcement, litigation, or arbitration, the enterprise’s business license has been revoked, or other disqualifying circumstances apply.

Investors file a standardized application form with a compliance commitment. After credit verification, they may proceed with a photocopy of the qualification document stamped with the archive seal of the original registration authority. The process follows a “self-application, credit verification, mutual recognition, post-event supervision” framework.

For foreign investors already operating in any of the eight provinces/autonomous regions, the policy removes a significant administrative barrier to regional expansion.

Reference:

关于印发《沿黄八省区外国（地区） 投资者主体资格证明文件跨区域互通互认工作方案》的通知