china law
Lehmanlaw

How is the approval process in Shanghai structured?

Shanghai has implemened a "delegated examination and approval process", that is, powers to approve investment projects are delegated to various administrative authorities, including government departments of the Shanghai Municipal Government as well as those of the districts or counties under the jurisdiction of Shanghai, the Management Committee for the Shanghai Pudong New Zone, and the Management Committee of the Waigaoqiao Bonded Zone. Among the various authorities, the Shanghai Foreign Investment Commission has overall authority and all foreign investment projects must be filed with it for recording. This Commission also supervises and coordinates all foreign investment activities in Shanghai. Although there is another commission, the Shanghai Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Commission, the leadership of the latter is often concurrently the same as that of the Shanghai Foreign Investment Commission.