Compare a translated Chinese business licence
Compare the translation against the complete Chinese original, field by field. Keep Chinese names beside translations, copy identifiers unchanged and flag every omitted qualifier or unclear passage. Resolve discrepancies before relying on the document. This comparison can be handled by the China-based staff of Cambridge China Bridge.
Start with a complete, readable original
Ask for the complete Chinese licence and its matching translation, with borders, dates and issuing details visible. Keep the files as received and record who supplied them and when. If text is blurred, request a clearer original rather than allowing the translator to guess.
The official electronic-licence guide says that, after successful verification, the licence is displayed on the computer and can be saved before printing or printed directly. Ask the supplier for a readable saved copy where available. A readable copy helps comparison; the wider identity checks belong in our supplier verification guide.
Build a field-by-field comparison
Use the labels visible in the official guide’s illustrated licence as a comparison aid, not a universal template. For each field on your supplier’s original, record the Chinese text, supplied translation, proposed correction and review status. Mark unreadable or absent content explicitly. Do not fill gaps from the guide’s example.
| Chinese label | English mapping | What to preserve or query |
|---|---|---|
| 统一社会信用代码 | Unified Social Credit Code | Copy the complete identifier unchanged; compare each character. |
| 名称 | Name | Keep the complete Chinese company name beside the English rendering. |
| 类型 | Type | Translate the complete entry, including any parenthetical qualifier. |
| 法定代表人 | Legal representative | Keep the Chinese personal name and check its Romanised spelling; query a translation such as owner or sales manager. |
| 经营范围 | Business scope | Translate the complete passage, including conditions, exclusions and parenthetical text. |
| 注册资本 | Registered capital | Preserve the amount, currency and unit; query any description of it as turnover or cash available. |
| 成立日期 | Establishment date | Preserve the date and use an unambiguous English date format. |
| 营业期限 | Business term | Preserve the complete entry, including any start, end or open-ended wording. |
| 住所 | Registered address | Keep every address component; record any claimed production address separately. |
| 登记机关 | Registration authority | Keep the Chinese authority name beside its translation and retain the adjacent date separately. |
Check qualifiers, not just headline words
Read parentheses, text after semicolons and the end of each long passage. Ask the translator to explain any wording about approval, permission, exclusions, limits or separately listed activities that appears in the original but disappears in English. Preserve it in the translation; this comparison does not decide its legal effect.
Do not accept a compressed business scope such as “manufacturing and trading” when the original contains a longer list. Match each activity and qualifier to its translated passage. If the supplier claims to manufacture your product, continue with the evidence checks in factory or trading company; a translation review cannot establish production capability.
Keep names and identifiers traceable
Keep the Chinese company name as searchable text as well as in the image. Put the supplier’s English trading name in a separate column if it differs from the translated name. Ask the supplier to confirm which Chinese name and identifier each English name refers to. Do not silently replace the original with a brand, shortened name or preferred spelling.
Compare identifiers directly with the image, rather than comparing copied text with another copied version. Check for missing characters, transcription substitutions and added spaces. Retain Chinese personal names and address text alongside their English renderings. Carry the resolved identity into your purchasing documents using our proforma invoice guide.
Close discrepancies before using the translation
Send a discrepancy log showing the field, original wording, supplied translation, question and requested correction. Ask for a revised complete translation and an explanation of substantive changes. Keep earlier versions, the supplier’s replies and the reviewer’s record together. Leave an unresolved field marked unresolved.
Separate a translation error from a change in the underlying document. If names, identifiers or dates differ between originals, request clarification and a matching document set before proceeding. Cambridge China Bridge’s own staff in China can compare the wording and follow up with the supplier; the buyer should retain the comparison record with the order.
Frequently asked questions
Can I check a supplier using only an English licence?
Request the complete Chinese original as well. An English-only copy does not let you check omitted qualifiers, Chinese names or transcription errors.
Should the Chinese company name stay in the translation?
Keep it beside the English rendering. Record a different English trading name separately and ask the supplier to confirm the name and identifier it refers to.
What if the business scope is shortened in English?
Request a complete translation of the activities, conditions, exclusions and parentheses. Flag unclear wording for review rather than accepting a broad summary.
Does a matching translation prove it is a factory?
No. It shows that the translated wording matches the supplied original. Supplier identity, production capability and payment details need separate checks.