Gongsi (满商公司网)
Gongsi Wang (formally known as Manshang Gongsi Wang 满商公司网) is a repository for information about Chinese companies.
URL
Description
A Chinese database providing information about Chinese companies. The website states that the database provides data obtained from over 100 official sources from various Chinese authority websites (e.g., National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System, China Court Judgment Documents Network), as well as enforcement notices. It is unclear to which extent the database aims to provide a complete copy of those sources.
Pre-Requisites
In order to access and use this site the following are needed:
A VPN service with a server in mainland China. Servers in Hong Kong will not work.
A Chinese telephone number that can receive SMS messages.
Search by Enterprise:
In order to search a user must first create an account and login.
Users can apply various search criteria (as seen in the screenshot below), such as:
Search by Enterprise ("企业名称")
Search by Legal Shareholder ("法定代表人")
Search by Industry ("经营范围")
Search by Geographical Cities ("热门城市")
Alternatively, you can also simply type different search terms in the search box and apply search filters afterwards.
Search by Enterprise ("企业名称"):
If you have a particular enterprise in mind, you can input it into the search bar. For greater accuracy, search terms should be in Chinese.
The search results starts with listings that match the name of the company but they also show companies with similar names.
Understanding Chinese company names:
Chinese company names contain several parts: [Location of registration] + [Chosen name] + [industry descriptor] + [legal structure], e.g., world-leading battery company CATL is registered in China as, "Ningde Era New Energy Technology Co. Ltd." Ningde is a city name. The industry is new energy technology. It's a limited liability company. This means that even if open source researchers don't know the full company name, they may be able to guess it by this logic.
The status of enterprises are colour coded. For example, the status of active enterprises is displayed in green, with the words "存续" ("existing"). The status of de-registered companies is displayed in orange, with the words "注销" ("de-registered").
When you click on a search result, it will bring you to the details of the enterprise. Details include enterprise name, name of legal shareholder ("法定代表人"), date of company establishment ("成立时间") etc.:
Search by Legal Shareholder:
You can also search for a list of of enterprises and companies that are associated with a particular individual:
Search by Industry:
You can search for enterprises by industry. For instance, in this example below, the filter "房地厂业" ("property development") was applied, allowing results related to property development enterprises to be listed below. You can add more filters to refine your results further (e.g., filtering by geographical regions).
Alternatively, you can also choose from a list of industrial sectors ("按行业查询") by scrolling down from the main landing page.
Checking the business scope of Chinese companies:
Chinese companies are required to operate on a business license, which lists the "business scope" -- this refers to the industries and business activities that the company is allowed to operate in. There are strict delineations for the business scope (e.g., battery company CATL has its business scope listed as: "general items: battery manufacturing, battery sales, technology services, technology development, technology consulting, technical exchange, technology transfer, technology promotion"). If any company were to change its business scope, they are legally required to update their business license. If open source researchers find a company that appears to be operating outside its scope, this could be a red flag.
Search by Geographical Cities ("热门城市"):
You can also search for enterprises via geographical cities, such as Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, etc. You can find this function by scrolling down on the main landing page.
There are other search options available, including searching by contact information.
Cost
Level of difficulty
Requirements
A Chinese telephone number.
A VPN with a server in mainland China.
The usage of a Chinese translation tool (e.g. DeepL) can be useful.
Limitations
A VPN service which has a server in mainland China (not Hong Kong) is required to access this site.
No information is available unless you login. Logging in requires a Chinese phone to receive SMS texts. While registering an account is free, this would require a Chinese mobile number.
Since the results displayed without logging in with a registered account does not provide all the data that is available, it is advisable to cross-check the results with other similar websites (e.g., Tianyancha, Qichacha).
No searches can be completed without logging. While registering an account is free, this would require a Chinese mobile number.
Depending on your internet connection, the website may not turn up results when you try to search for the first time. It is advisable to try and refresh the webpage again - this step usually returns search results.
Ethical Considerations
Since data is publicly available and sourced from government records, users can use this tool without too many ethical concerns. However, information on companies and individuals must not be exploited for personal gain, doxxing, harassment, or any actions that may be deemed illegal or unlawful.
Guides and articles
-
Tool provider
满商公司网 (Gongsi.com.cn), China
Similar tools
Tools similar to Gongsi Wang (满商公司网) include Tianyancha and Qichacha.
Gongsi Wang, Tianyancha and Qichacha obtain their data sources from government registries, and provide enterprise credit and background information on Chinese companies.
There are some small differences. Qichacha, for instance, allows API services and provides visual network graphs. Gongsi Wang is slightly dated and does not provide such services.
Advertising Trackers
Bellingcat Volunteer Team
Last updated
Was this helpful?