🇨🇳 8 Cities · 30+ Programs · 5 Visa Types

Which Chinese city will pay you to build there?

RMB 40M+ in grants. Tax rates as low as 15%. Free office space. And nobody tells you which one fits you.

8
Cities
30+
Programs
15%
Min. Tax Rate
60s
To Match
Find Your Match → Browse All Programs
YC China / MiraclePlus Dezeen Awards Forbes 30 Under 30 Boao Forum CES
Reality Check

What $3,000/month gets you.

Same budget. Very different outcomes.

Bali Lisbon Shenzhen
Co-working $200-400/mo $250-500/mo $110/mo (799 RMB)
1BR Apartment $500-900/mo $1,200-2,000/mo $850-1,300/mo
Internet 10-50 Mbps, outages 100-500 Mbps 1 Gbps standard, 5G
Corporate Tax Not applicable 21% (EU avg) 15% (Qianhai zone)
Government Grants None Limited (Startup Visa) Up to RMB 3M + housing
Manufacturing None None Hardware capital of the world
VC Ecosystem Minimal Growing $33B+ VC funding (2024)
Visa 30-day free, easy extend D7 / Startup Visa 30-day free + K Visa (STEM)
Sources: Numbeo Cost of Living · China Briefing: Qianhai 15% CIT · China Briefing: Shenzhen Talent · Co-working prices from WeWork, Hubud Bali, Second Home Lisbon, KEYS Shenzhen (March 2026)
Real Numbers

Government policy. Not marketing.

RMB 3M
Shenzhen Peacock Plan (Cat B/C)
Cash subsidy + housing for qualified overseas talent. Categories based on achievements and industry contribution.
China Briefing: Shenzhen Talent Policy
15% IIT Cap
Greater Bay Area Tax Subsidy
Individual income tax capped at 15% for talent in 9 GBA cities. Government refunds the difference. Valid until Dec 2027.
PwC: GBA Individual Income Tax
0% Duties
Hainan Free Trade Port
Full customs closure since 18 Dec 2025. Zero import duties on 74% of tariff lines. 15% CIT for encouraged industries.
China Briefing: Hainan FTP
K Visa
New STEM Visa (Oct 2025)
No employer sponsor needed. STEM degree holders can work, switch jobs, and found companies. Multiple entry, under 45.
Fragomen: China K Visa
RMB 10M
Hangzhou Relocation Funding
"Creating the World" competition winners who relocate to Hangzhou receive RMB 1-10M in government project funding.
Hangzhou Government Talent Programs
200% R&D
Super Deduction
China allows 200% tax deduction on qualifying R&D expenses. Spend 1M on R&D, deduct 2M from taxable income.
KPMG: China R&D Super Deduction
The Problem

China wants you. But the info is a mess.

Every city has programs. None of them talk to each other. We did the research so you don't have to.

💰

The money is real

RMB 3M talent subsidies. Free 200sqm apartments. 15% tax caps. Not marketing fluff. Government policy.

📌

The info is scattered

30+ programs across 8 cities. Different eligibility. Different deadlines. Most in Chinese only. Good luck Googling.

🤝

We have the connections

KEYS operates spaces in 4 Chinese cities. MiraclePlus (YC China) network. Government relationships. We know who to call.

Program Matcher

Find your match in 6 questions.

No signup. No email. Instant results.

Where's your passport from?
This determines your visa options and tax treaty benefits.
🇪🇺 EU / UK
30-day visa-free, DTA benefits
🇺🇸 USA / Canada
30-day visa-free, strong DTA
🇮🇳 Asia-Pacific
Varies by country
🌎 Other
We'll check eligibility
What's your highest degree?
STEM PhDs and MDs unlock the best programs. But there are options for everyone.
🎓 PhD / MD / Dr.
K Visa, Peacock Plan Cat A/B, max points
📚 Master's Degree
K Visa eligible, strong talent programs
🏫 Bachelor's Degree
Work Permit, some talent programs
💪 No Degree / Self-taught
Entrepreneur visa, experience-based
What do you build?
China's encouraged industries get the best tax rates and subsidies.
🤖 AI / Software
Hottest sector. Every city wants you.
🩺 Health Tech / Biotech
Hainan Boao = game changer for you
⚙️ Hardware / Robotics
Shenzhen supply chain. Enough said.
🛒 E-commerce / Trade
Hangzhou is your city (Alibaba HQ)
💳 Fintech / Finance
Hong Kong + Shanghai
🚀 Other / Creative
Design, media, education, services
What stage is your company?
Different programs target different stages. Some want ideas, some want revenue.
💡 Idea / Pre-launch
Competitions, incubators, free space
🌱 Early Stage / Seed
Accelerators, small grants, talent subsidies
📈 Growth / Series A+
Big grants, tax incentives, office deals
🏢 Established / Expanding
HQ incentives, talent programs, tax optimization
What's your monthly budget?
Living costs vary 3x between cities. This helps us find the right fit.
Under $1,500/mo
Chengdu, Xiamen, smaller cities
$1,500 - $3,000/mo
Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Guangzhou
$3,000 - $6,000/mo
Shanghai, Hong Kong
Flexible / Funded
Show me the best programs regardless
What matters most?
Pick the one that matters most right now.
💰 Lowest taxes
15% CIT + IIT cap, tax holidays
🎁 Cash grants & subsidies
Direct funding, competition prizes
🤝 Network & ecosystem
VCs, founders, government connections
🔒 Easiest visa path
K Visa, entrepreneur visa, TTPS
🏝️ Quality of life
Weather, food, international community
⚙️ Manufacturing access
Supply chain, prototyping, factories
Your Results

Here's where you should build.

Based on your profile, these cities and programs are the best fit. Sorted by match score.

Want the full picture? KEYS has on-the-ground intel that isn't public.

Talk to KEYS →
Program Directory

Every program. One page.

Filter by city or category. Click to expand.

How It Works

From quiz to China in 3 steps.

1

Take the Quiz

6 questions. 60 seconds. We match your profile against 30+ real government programs.

2

Get Your Match

See your top 3 cities ranked by fit. Tax rates, grants, visa options, living costs. All in one view.

3

Talk to KEYS

Book a free consultation. We have the government connections, the spaces, and the insider knowledge to make it happen.

Honest Answers

You have questions. We won't dodge them.

China is not for everyone. Here's what you should know before you go.

"What about the Great Firewall?"
Yes, Google/YouTube/X are blocked by default. VPNs work and are widely used by foreigners and businesses. KEYS spaces include VPN access. Most international SaaS tools (GitHub, Slack, Figma, Notion) work fine. Mobile data with a Hong Kong SIM bypasses restrictions entirely.
Wikipedia: Great Firewall
"Will my IP get stolen?"
IP protection in China has improved significantly, but risks remain. China's IP courts (est. 2014) handled 640,000+ cases in 2023. Patent and trademark registration via a Chinese entity provides stronger protection. For sensitive tech: keep core IP offshore, register trademarks early, use CIETAC arbitration clauses.
WIPO: China IP Courts
"Is it safe to start a business there?"
Millions of foreign-invested enterprises operate in China. WFOE (wholly foreign-owned enterprise) setup is well-established. The 2020 Foreign Investment Law guarantees equal treatment. Real risks: capital controls on repatriation, regulatory changes, data localization requirements (PIPL). Structure carefully.
China Briefing: Hainan Preferential Policies
"Can I actually get the money?"
Yes, but it takes work. Government programs are real policy, not promises. Application requires a registered entity, qualifying industry, and often local government relationships. Processing takes 3-12 months. Some programs are competitive (Peacock Plan), others are more accessible (GBA IIT subsidy is near-automatic with a work permit).
AmCham Shanghai: Business Resources
"What about US-China tensions?"
Geopolitics is real, but business continues. US-China trade was $690B in 2024. CFIUS reviews and entity lists affect specific sectors (advanced chips, defense). Most commercial tech, health tech, e-commerce, and services are unaffected. China actively courts foreign talent with new visa programs (K Visa, 240-hour transit).
China Briefing: New Entry-Exit Rules 2025
"Do I need to speak Chinese?"
Helpful, not required. Tier-1 cities (Shanghai, Shenzhen, HK) have large English-speaking business communities. Translation apps (DeepL, WeChat translate) handle daily life. Government programs have English application tracks. For deeper relationships and negotiations: even basic Mandarin opens doors.

Still have concerns? That's what the consultation is for. We'll give you the full picture, not a sales pitch.

Get Started

The money is on the table.
You just need to know where to look.

KEYS operates in 4 Chinese cities with direct government relationships. We don't just point you to a website. We make introductions.

Find Your City → Message on WeChat
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