Date Published: 11 June 2019

Parcels to China

Does your business send parcels to China? Perhaps you manufacture goods to sell goods online with customers located in China. Maybe you buy car parts, machinery or merchandise from suppliers in China to sell in Australia. Whatever your business, Australia has an excellent trade relationship with China and World Options can help you find a great courier services which meets the demand of your business.

The question is, which courier or shipping supplier can provide your business the best rates and get the shipments to its required destination with minimum hassle?

Instead of being restricted to one carrier we can offer a choice of multiple carriers in one online shipping portal.

With World Options businesses can ship goods to China using a choice of FedEx, UPS, DHL, TNT through the World Options online shipping portal.

Simply enter the shipment weight, dimensions and destination to view multiple prices from all the above carriers in seconds.

INTERNATIONAL COURIER SERVICES TO CHINA

UPS International Services:

• Express Saver – by 12 pm (1-5 business day)

DHL International Services:

• Express Worldwide – time sensitive delivery by the end of the next working day

TNT International Services:

• Express - Global
• Express – Economy

FedEx International Services

• International Priority

In addition to the general advice for shipping around the world, businesses should be aware of the following facts when it comes to shipping to China:

PROHIBITED AND RESTRICTED ITEMS

Certain products are completely restricted from entering China, you should check the full list to ensure the items you intend to ship are not prohibited. Detailed information can be found on the Chinese customs website, we have also extracted some key points below.

CATALOGUE OF GOODS PROHIBITED FROM IMPORT

There are five ‘batches’ of products that are included within China’s catalogue of goods prohibited from import. The contents vary from niche items such as rhinoceros horns to everyday goods including microwaves, air conditioners and wired phones. The full list can be found on the customs website.

CHINESE IDEOLOGY

Any documents or media deemed to undermine Chinese ideology is banned from entering the country. This can be anything that the Chinese government believes to be illegal on these grounds - from books that undermine ideology to videos deemed offensive - and such items will be destroyed, so you should ensure that any products you are considering shipping do not risk falling into this category.

COMMONLY BANNED ITEMS

The below list is subject to change, but the following items are typically banned from import to China:

• Aerosols
• Animals
• Dairy
• Fresh food
• Fur
• Ivory
• Money
• Perfumes
• Seeds
• Tobacco
• Plants
   

CONTENTIOUS ITEMS

It is possible to import the following goods to China but there are strict rules around exactly how these are shipped and they require specific checks, licenses and permissions. You should speak to your World Options account manager if any of your products fall under the below categories:

• Bamboo
• Cane
• Electronics
• Food items
• Rattan
• Wood
   

IMPORTING FOOD

Food is one of the items that is strictly regulated when it comes to imports, as mentioned above. Every shipment of food into China must be registered with the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) department, which checks food shipments upon entry. Following the rules outlined below should minimise the amount of time these checks take:

• All ingredients must be listed on the food label
• The item must have a shelf life exceeding six months
• Food must not have been tampered with in any way
• Food must be contained in its original packaging
   

CUSTOMS CLEARANCE

The Chinese customs process is strict and goods can take time to clear, so you should factor this in to your shipping plans and when communicating expected delivery dates with the end user. A commercial invoice is required for every parcel and this must include a detailed description of the contents, where it was manufactured and the value.

The fee for customs clearance is typically 20-30% of the value of the goods and all items must have a designated tariff code. To find out the tariff code of your particular item visit the Australian government website.
 

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