China — logistics, customs and trade agreements

WTO member; RCEP member; bilateral FTAs with Switzerland, Australia; CPTPP negotiations ongoing.

Forwarders and shippers need to understand the specific FTA landscape: which preferences apply, which origin documents are accepted. Verify product-by-product on every quote and shipment.

China Customs Single Window. CCC mark required for many products. Export Control Law 2020; strict dual-use regime.

Beyond the systems listed, country-specific requirements on product labelling, technical standards and pre-shipment inspections apply. For B2C flows from the EU into China, correct VAT handling (e.g. IOSS) matters.

Main gateways: Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Qingdao (See); PVG, HKG, CAN, PEK (Luft).

Routing depends on volume, origin/destination and service level. Time-critical: airfreight via the main hub; volume cargo: sea via the largest terminal; intra-region: road or road-rail combinations.

Main trading partners: USA, EU, ASEAN, Japan, Südkorea. Exact statistics change yearly; up-to-date data is available from Eurostat, UN Comtrade and national statistics offices.