Match the Chinese legal name and 18-character Unified Social Credit Code across the business licence, a current registry record and the transaction documents.
The two identity fields that matter most
A Chinese business licence normally shows the company’s full Chinese legal name and its Unified Social Credit Code, commonly shortened to USCC. The code is designed as a unique identifier and has a defined 18-character structure.
A correctly structured code is not proof by itself. It must also belong to the same legal name in a current registry source. A code copied from another company can look convincing on a manipulated document.
- Full Chinese legal name
- 18-character Unified Social Credit Code
- Current operating status
- Legal representative and registered address
- Registered business scope
How English-name variations should be handled
Chinese companies may use several English renderings because an English trading name is often not the legal registry identity. Minor transliteration differences may be explainable; a completely different entity is not a spelling issue.
Anchor the comparison in the Chinese name and USCC. Then document how the English name used on the PI, website and bank instruction connects to that entity.
Read the registry status carefully
A captured registry record should show whether the company is operating normally or has an adverse status such as revocation or cancellation. Unfamiliar Chinese status wording requires careful interpretation rather than an automatic green result.
The registration profile also provides context: establishment date, address, legal representative, business scope and visible changes. These facts support a decision but do not replace transaction-document checks.
Connect the company to the payment
After confirming the entity, compare the PI or contract issuer and the proposed beneficiary. If either differs, obtain reliable authority and relationship evidence before payment.
This final step is where a company lookup becomes a transaction review. The question is not merely whether the supplier exists; it is whether this company, these documents and this payment recipient form one supported arrangement.
Common questions
What buyers ask before payment
Is an English company name enough for verification?
No. Use the original Chinese legal name and USCC as the primary identifiers, then reconcile any English rendering.
Does a valid USCC prove the licence is genuine?
No. Structural validation can detect some errors, but the code must still be matched to the company in a current source and compared with the original document.
What if the company cannot provide its Chinese licence?
Treat the identity as unresolved and hold payment until reliable legal-entity evidence is supplied.