Enterprises going global, don't rush to 'go global': Understanding cross-border rules at the Shanghai Expo in November

In 2026, Chinese enterprises will enter a new stage of going global. According to public reports, the 'Regulations of the State Council on Outward Investment' officially came into effect on July 1st, clarifying 34 institutional arrangements around service, management, and protection; The national level overseas comprehensive service platform has also been launched and operated, covering the entire process of market development, compliance prevention and control, and going global. The policy system is becoming increasingly complete, and the professional requirements for enterprises are also increasing synchronously.

For enterprises, going global is changing from an 'optional' to a 'mandatory question', but the real challenge is not whether or not to go out, but how to go out, who to seek help from, and how to control costs. Cross border operations involve multiple professional fields such as law, finance and taxation, capital, and employment. Relying solely on enterprises to cope with them, the cost of trial and error is increasing.

From November 20th to 22nd, the Overseas Immigrant Study and Property Expo, as well as the Enterprise Overseas Development and Financial Services Expo, will be held at the Shanghai World Trade Exhibition Center. As a professional exhibition covering the areas of enterprise going global and financial services, it will provide an opportunity for companies planning to go global to gain a centralized understanding of policies, connect services, and compare institutions horizontally. The choice to hold it in November also took into account the annual pace of the enterprise: the end of the year is the time window for the enterprise to review and formulate the next year's plan, and the overseas plan often enters the decision-making agenda at this stage.

In 2026, there will be three significant changes in the overseas policy

(1) The rules are more complete. The regulations on outbound investment have incorporated approval and filing, information reporting, cross-border funds, technology exports, and data security into a unified framework, providing clear rules and basis for every step of cross-border business operations for enterprises, and compliance is no longer an option.

(2) Service is more systematic. After the launch of the overseas comprehensive service platform, there is a public entrance for market development, compliance prevention and control, and other aspects. Enterprises' overseas expansion has shifted from 'individual exploration' to 'systematic support', and the starting point for information acquisition has been significantly improved.

(3) Support for further refinement. Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and other places have successively launched support measures in cross-border funds, tax guidance, market development and other aspects. Shanghai is also accelerating the construction of digital channels for service enterprises to go global.

The policy dividend is real, but turning policy provisions into executable plans still requires the joint efforts of professional institutions and enterprises. This is precisely where the value of enterprise overseas service agencies lies. For most companies, policy changes bring not only opportunities, but also interpretation costs: the same regulation, when applied to different industries and target markets, has completely different meanings. The value of professional service agencies is to translate policy language into concrete actions, so that enterprises know what to do next.

On the way out to sea, five links are easily underestimated

Firstly, compliance. Industry access, data protection, labor employment, local licensing, the rules of each market are different, and a single omission may affect the progress of the entire project.

Secondly, the financial and tax framework. How to deal with double taxation, how to repatriate profits, and how to arrange transfer pricing are professional issues that directly determine the cost of going abroad and are also difficult to judge on their own.

Thirdly, cross-border funds. Cross border settlement, foreign exchange management, and overseas financing are often the bottleneck links for enterprises, which need to be planned in advance according to the pace of business.

Fourth, localized operation. Employment, channels, culture, and supply chain determine whether a company can truly establish a foothold in the local area.

Fifth, service provider identification. There are numerous institutions in the market with different perspectives, and choosing the wrong partner can result in irreparable time and financial losses. These five aspects have one thing in common: none of them can be solved by enterprises solely relying on enthusiasm and resources, but require experience, channels, and professional personnel. This also explains why more and more companies are choosing to rely on professional service providers instead of exploring from scratch.

What can the expo solve: one-stop docking

This year's expo specifically sets up a section for enterprise going global and financial services, inviting legal service agencies, financial and tax consulting agencies, banks and payment institutions, overseas park and industrial park operators, human resources and insurance institutions, and others to attend. Enterprises can learn about the solutions to issues such as overseas investment structure, tax arrangements, cross-border settlement, and local employment in the same venue, and communicate on-site with multiple institutions.

For small and medium-sized enterprises lacking mature overseas experience, this centralized comparison scenario can significantly reduce the cost of information collection and institutional identification. On site consultation is more direct and easier to clarify vague questions than searching online one by one. I suggest that companies bring these questions to the exhibition: Which path is suitable for my industry to go global; What are the compliance requirements of the target market and what licenses need to be obtained in advance; How to arrange cross-border funds in a more compliant manner; How to design a tax framework to avoid double taxation; How to build a local team, and how to handle employment and social security. The more specific the problem, the higher the efficiency of on-site communication.

4. For corporate audiences: One exhibition visit saves half a year of detours

(1) Horizontal comparison. Similar institutions are exhibited together, and their service scope, team qualifications, and fee standards can be compared on-site without the need for individual interviews.

(2) Ask face-to-face. For issues such as policy provisions, approval processes, and cost structures that cannot be clearly identified online, on-site consultation is more direct and effective.

(3) Connect with financial resources. Financial issues such as cross-border remittances, foreign exchange hedging, and overseas financing can be directly communicated with banks and payment institutions to understand compliance pathways.

(4) Reduce the cost of trial and error. The exhibition gathers selected professional institutions, providing a relatively reliable entry point for enterprises' first contact.

It is recommended that corporate audiences organize their stage of going global, target markets, and specific issues in advance, and bring a list to the exhibition to improve communication efficiency. If conditions permit, colleagues responsible for finance, legal, or business can be brought along: different positions have different concerns, and asking all questions on site can lower the cost of alignment when returning home.

5. For participating organizations: Accurately reach decision-makers

For overseas service agencies, the value of participating in this expo lies in the fact that among the approximately 8000 visitors in three days, a considerable proportion are business leaders who are planning to go overseas, and the customers are precise; Face to face communication is easier to establish trust than online advertising; Communicating with peers and upstream and downstream institutions in the same field can timely understand market trends; Displaying professional skills through exhibition platforms can help establish brand awareness. The number of booths is limited, interested institutions can contact the organizing committee as soon as possible. For institutions interested in expanding their overseas service business, participating in the exhibition is not only about acquiring customers, but also a market research opportunity: directly hearing the real problems of corporate customers on site is more intuitive than any report.

6. Exhibition information and participation methods

Time: November 20-22, 2026 (Friday to Sunday), for a period of three days. Location: Shanghai World Trade Exhibition Center. Scale: It is expected to receive about 8000 visitors in three days. Exhibition hotline: 13681692751 (same as WeChat). Official website: www.qs-expo.com.

Welcome enterprises with overseas plans to visit and exchange ideas, and welcome institutions that provide overseas services to inquire about exhibition matters.

From the trend in recent years, overseas services are moving from scattered supply to systematization: policies, platforms, institutions, and funds are gradually forming a complete chain. If a company completes this chain a year earlier, it may enter a new growth track a year earlier. Going abroad is a long-term project, not something that can be completed with just one decision or one contract. Handing over professional matters to professionals and keeping key information in their own hands is a fundamental step for enterprises to reduce cross-border costs. In November, at the Shanghai World Trade Exhibition Center, I met with people traveling on the way out to sea.