Tangshan Import and Export Agency Company: Practical Guide to Full-Process Foreign Trade Services

I.Preparations: Lay a Solid "Foundation Pass" to Avoid Rework Later

Recently,many manufacturing enterprises in Tangshan have consulted us: What is the full process from contract signing to payment receipt for exporting a batch of building materials to Southeast Asia?Last month,Mr.Jiang,head of a mechanical parts factory in Tangshan,handled customs declaration on his own.Due to incorrect filling of declaration elements,the goods were detained at the port for 5 days,which not only incurred extra storage fees but also almost led to breach of contract.In fact,the core value of import and export agencies is to fill in the "pitfalls" in the foreign trade chain in advance.From customs declaration and inspection to foreign exchange settlement and tax refund,every link hides details,and a slight mistake may delay the progress.Today,combined with the practical experience of Zhongshen,we split the import and export agency process that Tangshan enterprises care about into 4 core stages to help everyone clarify the key points.

1.Key Actions: Qualification Check + Data List Confirmation

Mr.Huang,head of foreign trade compliance at Zhongshen,will first connect with customers for 3 types of core materials:

• Enterprise’s own qualifications: Whether the business scope of the business license includes "goods import and export",and whether the enterprise has import and export rights (if not,the agency can assist in handling temporary qualifications);
• Cargo-related materials: Product HS Code (In 2026,the customs updated the codes of some industrial products.For example,the code of new building materials exported from Tangshan was adjusted from 39189090 to 39181090),packing list (gross weight/net weight/quantity/volume shall be indicated),invoice,contract;
• Special product certificates: For example,food requires a health certificate,and chemical products require MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).

Common question: Customers often ask "Can I check the HS Code by myself?" Mr.Huang reminded that the customs’ "classification rules" for codes are stricter in 2026.For example,a ceramic factory in Tangshan previously classified antique bricks into category 6907,but they should actually be classified into category 6908,resulting in 3% more tariff paid.Zhongshen will arrange special personnel to check the code,and contact the customs for pre-classification when necessary,to avoid cost increases caused by code errors.

Zhongshen’s role: Assist customers in checking materials for free.If the materials are incomplete,a "supplementary list" will be issued with the deadline marked to avoid unnecessary trips for customers; for enterprises without import and export rights,"agency import and export qualifications" can be provided,so enterprises do not need to apply separately.

II.Customs Declaration and Inspection: Keep a Close Eye on the "Compliance Pass" to Ensure Fast Customs Clearance Without Delay

Customs declaration and inspection is the "stuck point" of the foreign trade process.Mr.Jiang’s previous port detention was caused by incorrect declaration elements,while among the Tangshan building material export cases handled by Zhongshen,80% of the customs clearance time can be controlled within 24 hours.The goal of this stage is to ensure that the declaration information is consistent with the actual goods,and select the appropriate customs declaration port according to the type of goods (such as Tangshan Port,Tianjin Port).

1.Key Actions: Declaration Element Check + Port Selection

Zhongshen’s customs declaration team will do 3 things:

• Check declaration elements: For example,building materials need to be marked with "material,specification,purpose",none of which can be missing;
• Select the optimal port: For goods exported from Tangshan to Southeast Asia,if shipped through Tangshan Port,the customs clearance efficiency is 1 day faster than that of Tianjin Port,but some chemical products need to be shipped through Tianjin Port (which has a special terminal for hazardous chemicals);
• Track status in real time: Synchronize the cargo status through the customs system.If the goods are inspected,on-site personnel will be coordinated to cooperate as soon as possible to avoid excessive inspection time.

Common question: Customers ask "Will goods be detained for sure if inspected?" Mr.Huang explained that the customs has implemented "intelligent inspection" in 2026.If the declaration information is accurate,the inspection rate can be reduced by 40%; even if inspected,Zhongshen will arrange special personnel to follow up,and the inspection and release can be completed within 24 hours generally.

Zhongshen’s role: With a team of customs declaration personnel with more than 10 years of experience,familiar with the latest 2026 customs policies (such as the cross-customs declaration process under the "Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Customs Integration"),we can help customers choose declaration methods with low inspection rates; if there are inspection problems,we will directly connect with the customs site,so customers do not need to go in person.

III.International Transportation + Warehousing: Control the "Timeliness Pass" to Balance Cost and Speed

Many enterprises in Tangshan export bulky cargo,such as mechanical parts and building materials,which are prone to problems in transportation and warehousing.For example,a steel factory previously hired a freight forwarder,and due to insufficient shipping space,the goods were delayed for 3 days,resulting in a fine from the customer.The goal of this stage is to ensure that the goods are loaded on board/into containers on time,while controlling warehousing costs.

1.Key Actions: Shipping Space Booking + Warehousing Scheduling

Zhongshen’s transportation team will do 2 things:

• Book shipping space in advance: For the peak export season in Tangshan (such as the peak building material export season from March to May),lock shipping space 15 days in advance to avoid tight shipping space;
• Optimize warehousing: If the goods need to be temporarily stored,select a bonded warehouse within 10 kilometers of the port (2 new bonded warehouses were added in Tangshan in 2026,with warehousing costs 15% lower than ordinary warehouses),and arrange appropriate warehousing methods according to the type of goods (for example,fragile goods use shock-proof packaging,and hazardous chemicals use special warehouses).

Common question: Customers ask "How to choose between sea freight and air freight?" Mr.Huang suggested that if the goods are mechanical parts (heavy weight),choose sea freight (60% lower cost); if the goods are samples (light weight),choose air freight (3 days faster).Zhongshen will make a "transportation plan comparison" according to customer needs,for example:

Zhongshen’s role: We have long-term cooperation with many shipping companies at Tangshan Port and Tianjin Port,and can get shipping space prices 10% lower than the market; the warehousing team is familiar with local bonded warehouse policies,which can help customers save 15% of warehousing costs.

IV.Foreign Exchange Receipt and Payment + Foreign Exchange Settlement and Tax Refund: Straighten Out the "Fund Pass" to Ensure Fast Arrival Without Capital Occupation

What foreign trade enterprises care most about is "when will the money arrive".Mr.Jiang previously handled foreign exchange settlement on his own,and due to incorrect foreign exchange declaration,the payment was delayed for 7 days; the tax refund took 3 months to arrive.The goal of this stage is to ensure timely receipt and payment of foreign exchange,and compliant foreign exchange settlement and tax refund processes,to avoid capital occupation.

1.Key Actions: Foreign Exchange Declaration + Tax Refund Material Submission

Zhongshen’s financial team will do 3 things:

• Foreign exchange declaration: According to the "Trade Foreign Exchange Facilitation Policy" of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange in 2026,help customers simplify the declaration process (for example,Class A enterprises can be exempted from submitting paper documents);
• Foreign exchange settlement: Connect with the bank’s exchange rate in real time,and select the optimal settlement time (for example,when the RMB depreciated in the first half of 2026,we helped customers get 2% more from foreign exchange settlement);
• Tax refund: Submit tax refund materials within 15 days after customs clearance of goods (the customs and tax systems are connected in 2026,and the tax refund cycle is shortened from 3 months to 1 month).At the same time,check the consistency of invoices and customs declaration forms to avoid tax refund rejection.

Common question: Customers ask "What materials are needed for tax refund?" Mr.Huang reminded that in addition to the customs declaration form and invoice,a special VAT invoice is also required (note that the invoice title must be consistent with the agency company); if the invoice amount is inconsistent with the customs declaration form,it will lead to tax refund delay.Zhongshen will check the invoice information in advance to avoid such problems.

Zhongshen’s role: With foreign exchange settlement qualifications,we can directly help customers receive and pay foreign exchange,so customers do not need to open an additional foreign exchange account; the financial team is familiar with the latest 2026 tax refund policy,and the tax refund cycle can be controlled within 1 month,which is 2 months faster than the enterprise’s own operation.

Conclusion: The Core Value of Professional Agencies -- Let Tangshan Enterprises "Do Foreign Trade Without Worry"

As can be seen from Mr.Jiang’s case,every detail in the import and export process may affect the progress and cost.Zhongshen has been deeply engaged in the industry for 20 years,and is more familiar with the needs of local enterprises in Tangshan,such as HS code updates for building material exports,policy changes of bonded warehouses,and the latest rules for customs inspection.Our core value is not "doing foreign trade on behalf of customers",but "helping customers avoid risks and improve efficiency": for example,we helped Mr.Jiang solve the problem of customs clearance delay,helped a ceramic factory avoid tariff losses caused by code errors,and helped a steel factory save 10% of transportation costs.

The competition in Tangshan’s foreign trade market is becoming increasingly fierce in 2026,and enterprises need to focus on product production rather than running procedures.Choosing a professional import and export agency means handing over the troublesome things in the foreign trade chain to us,so that you can focus more on business growth.