On June 25, 2026, to implement the decisions and arrangements of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, and to further standardize, facilitate and improve the efficiency of the establishment and registration of international science and technology organizations, the General Office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the General Office of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the General Office of the China Association for Science and Technology jointly issued the "Guidelines for the Establishment and Registration of International Science and Technology Organizations". The Guidelines are intended to serve as a reference for the competent business authorities and initiators of international science and technology organizations.

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Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the General Office of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the General Office of the China Association for Science and Technology on Issuing the Guidelines for the Establishment and Registration of International Science and Technology Organizations

To the competent business authorities and initiators of international science and technology organizations:

To implement the decisions and arrangements of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, and to further standardize, facilitate and improve the efficiency of the establishment and registration of international science and technology organizations, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the China Association for Science and Technology have formulated the Guidelines for the Establishment and Registration of International Science and Technology Organizations. The Guidelines are hereby issued for reference and implementation in light of actual circumstances.

General Office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs
General Office of the Ministry of Science and Technology
General Office of the China Association for Science and Technology

June 25, 2026

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Guidelines for the Establishment and Registration of International Science and Technology Organizations

To implement the decisions and arrangements of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, and to further standardize the establishment and registration of international science and technology organizations, these Guidelines have been formulated in accordance with the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China, the Opinions on Reforming the Administration System for Social Organizations and Promoting Their Sound and Orderly Development issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, the Notice of the Ministry of Civil Affairs on Issuing the Model Articles of Association for International Social Organizations (Trial), and other relevant laws and policies, with reference to the Regulations on the Registration and Administration of Social Organizations and other applicable provisions.

I. General Requirements

For the purposes of these Guidelines, an international science and technology organization refers to an international or regional, non-profit and non-governmental social organization with legal-person status that is jointly initiated by Chinese and foreign universities, research institutions, science and technology organizations, enterprises, other entities or individuals, and is established and registered within China. Such an organization shall be dedicated to promoting international cooperation, international exchange and international governance in the fields of natural sciences and engineering technologies.

In its operations, an international science and technology organization shall maintain its international character and shall not deviate, in terms of its purposes, scope of activities or membership composition, from its role in promoting international cooperation and exchange.

It shall adhere to the principle of non-profit operation, establish sound systems for the supervision and management of its assets, and manage and use its assets in a legitimate manner.

It shall operate in accordance with the law, comply with the laws and regulations of China and those of other countries or regions in which it conducts activities, and respect local customs and practices.

II. Conditions for Establishment

An international science and technology organization shall meet the basic requirements for obtaining legal-person status as a social organization and, in particular, shall satisfy the following conditions:

1. Appropriate Chinese and Foreign Initiators

The initiators shall become the initial members of the international science and technology organization.

Natural persons or legal persons may serve as initiators. A natural-person initiator shall have full capacity for civil conduct. State-organ legal persons may not initiate the establishment of an international science and technology organization.

2. A Sufficient Number of Members

The organization shall have no fewer than 50 individual members or no fewer than 30 institutional members.

Where the organization consists of both individual and institutional members, the total number of members shall be no fewer than 50.

In principle, foreign members shall account for no less than one-third of the total membership.

3. A Standardized Name

The proposed Chinese name of the international science and technology organization shall comply with Chinese laws and regulations and shall not violate public order or accepted standards of social morality.

The name shall be consistent with the organization’s scope of activities, geographical distribution of members and regions of operation, and shall accurately reflect the organization’s characteristics.

The name shall be approved in accordance with relevant national regulations and shall include words such as “International,” “World,” “Global” or “Asia” that reflect the organization’s international or regional nature.

The foreign-language name shall be translated in accordance with established translation principles.

4. Standardized Governance Bodies

The organization shall establish a general assembly or representative assembly, a council, supervisors or a board of supervisors, and other governance bodies in accordance with the Notice of the Ministry of Civil Affairs on Issuing the Model Articles of Association for International Social Organizations (Trial).

5. A Fixed Address

The organization shall have a fixed address within China.

6. Suitable Proposed Officers and Full-Time Staff Appropriate to Its Activities

The proposed officers shall include both Chinese and foreign nationals.

The principal initiators shall serve as officers of the first governing body. Where a principal initiator is a legal person, a representative appointed by that legal person shall serve as an officer.

The legal representative shall be an officer of Chinese nationality.

The Secretary-General shall serve on a full-time basis and shall be a Chinese national. A Secretary-General appointed under an employment arrangement may not concurrently serve as the legal representative.

7. Lawful Assets and Sources of Funding

The operating funds available at the time of establishment shall consist of donated funds and shall be commensurate with the scale and scope of the activities to be undertaken by the international science and technology organization.

Based on recent practices concerning international science and technology organizations, the initial operating funds shall be no less than RMB 2 million.

III. Application Procedures

Applications for establishment and registration shall be processed in accordance with the following procedures:

1. Identification of a Competent Business Authority

Based on the proposed organization’s purposes and scope of activities, the initiators shall apply to a relevant department of the State Council or an organization authorized by the State Council to serve as the competent business authority.

2. Review by the Competent Business Authority

In accordance with relevant provisions, the competent business authority shall consult relevant departments, assess the necessity and feasibility of establishing the organization, and review the proposed organization’s name, purposes, scope of activities, initiators and proposed officers.

3. Review by the Registration Administration Authority

After completing its review and issuing a document approving its role as the competent business authority of the proposed international science and technology organization, the competent business authority shall enable the initiators to submit the application materials for establishment and registration to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs shall provide guidance to the initiators regarding capital verification and may, where necessary, consult relevant departments or organize further assessment and evaluation.

After reviewing the application materials submitted by the initiators, the Ministry of Civil Affairs shall complete the approval procedures in accordance with relevant provisions.

4. Approval of Registration and Issuance of the Certificate

After deciding to approve the establishment and registration of the organization, the Ministry of Civil Affairs shall guide the initiators in entering the organization’s legal-person registration information into the China Social Organizations Government Service Platform.

The Ministry shall then issue the initiators a Registration Certificate for a Social Organization Legal Person.

5. Application for Official Seals, Tax Registration and Opening of Bank Accounts

With the Registration Certificate for a Social Organization Legal Person, the international science and technology organization may apply for the engraving of its official seals, complete tax registration and open bank accounts.

The designs of its official seals and details of its bank accounts shall be promptly filed with the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

In principle, the international science and technology organization shall convene its first general assembly or representative assembly within three months of obtaining the Registration Certificate for a Social Organization Legal Person.

IV. Application Materials

To apply for the establishment and registration of an international science and technology organization, the initiators shall submit the following materials to the registration administration authority. Templates are provided in Annex 1:

1. An application for establishment and registration;

2. A document from the competent business authority approving the establishment of the organization;

3. Draft articles of association;

4. Proof of the organization’s address;

5. A donation commitment letter;

6. A list of proposed officers and their registration forms;

7. A commitment letter confirming that the Secretary-General will serve on a full-time basis; and

8. A membership list.

The initiators shall prepare six sets of the application materials, including one original set and five photocopied sets, and submit them to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The initiators and the proposed legal representative shall be responsible for the legality, authenticity, accuracy, validity and completeness of the submitted materials.

They shall fully consult the initial members regarding the draft articles of association, proposed officers, legal representative and other relevant matters, and shall assume corresponding legal responsibilities for the establishment of the organization.

When formally submitting the materials, the initiators shall also submit the Commitment Letter for the Establishment Application of an International Science and Technology Organization, as provided in Annex 2, signed by the proposed legal representative and the Secretary-General.

V. Scope of Application

These Guidelines apply to international science and technology organizations applying to the Ministry of Civil Affairs for establishment and registration and provide general guidance solely for the registration of such organizations.

The Guidelines may also be referred to in the establishment of international social organizations in the fields of economics, education, culture, health, sports and environmental protection.

VI. Office Address, Service Hours and Telephone Number

Address of the Social Organization Service Hall of the Ministry of Civil Affairs:
First Floor, South Entrance, No. 6 Jianguomen South Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Service hours:
Monday to Friday, 8:30–11:30 a.m. and 1:30–5:00 p.m., excluding statutory public holidays

Social organization service hotline:
+86 (010) 58123114-3-3