According to MOC Decree No. 78, foreign enterprises are permitted to collaborate with qualified Chinese design institutes to provide preliminary design and detailed design services in China, but such design services performed by foreign enterprises may not exceed the scope of work permitted under the qualification certificate held by the relevant Chinese design institute. In order to make use of this structure, foreign enterprises must comply with the requirements set out in Decree No. 78. For example, foreign enterprises must enter into a co-operation agreement with the Chinese design institute, and all design documents prepared and issued by the foreign enterprise must be verified and chopped by the Chinese design institute in order for them to be valid.
