What would the requirements be if I come over to China and run a business for 6 - 12 months?

You need to apply for a business visa or work visa. A business visa usually allows one to stay in China for up to 6 months. The requirements for business visa include: passport, one recent passport photo, visa application form V2011A, "Invitation Letter of Duly Authorized Unit" or "Confirmation Letter of Invitation". If you want to stay in China for longer time, you can apply for a work visa from the start. Besides the above mentioned documents, you also need to submit visa application form V2011B and Work Permit (one of the following work permits): Foreign experts, scholars, teachers or managers to be working in Mainland of China should provide the Confirmation Letter for Foreign Experts from the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of the People's Republic of China.