What is china-us-stock-guide?

This repository is a practical guide written in Chinese for mainland China residents who want to open brokerage accounts to invest in US stocks. There is no code here, it is a structured reference document covering the steps, options, and trade-offs involved in the process. The guide is divided into four parts. The first covers brokerage selection. It compares several US-based brokers including Charles Schwab, Firstrade, BBAE, and Interactive Brokers across factors like account opening requirements, trading fees, app usability, and which markets are supported. The author recommends starting with Schwab or Firstrade as the most accessible options for mainland Chinese passport holders. The second part covers banking. Because Hong Kong banks participate in international tax information sharing arrangements that report back to Chinese tax authorities, the guide explains how to open US bank accounts instead, which do not participate in those arrangements. It compares East West Bank (via its Velo account), Cathay Bank, HSBC US, and traditional major US banks on remote-opening availability, minimum balance requirements, monthly fees, and wire transfer costs. It also covers Wise, a UK-based money transfer service that accepts Chinese ID and supports multi-currency accounts, as an alternative for those who cannot or prefer not to open a US bank account. The third part explains how money moves between a Chinese domestic bank, an intermediate account (Hong Kong card, Wise, or US bank), and the brokerage. It describes the optimal low-fee path and notes the annual $50,000 USD foreign exchange quota that applies to Chinese residents. The fourth part is a FAQ covering common questions, including whether a foreign bank card is required to start investing, how US tax withholding works for non-resident aliens (dividends are withheld at 10% under a US-China tax treaty, capital gains are not taxed), and how to reduce the risk of account freezes. The guide is published as informational content with no associated software license.