2026 Comprehensive Analysis of Core Import and Export Processes for China's Goods Trade

Comprehensive Sorting of China’s Goods Trade Import and Export Processes

A supervisor in foreign trade named He recently encountered a headache: a batch of electronic products exported to Europe by his company was stuck at the port for 3 extra days due to missing the certificate of origin in the customs declaration documents.This not only incurred additional storage fees but also almost delayed the customer’s delivery deadline.Such problems are not uncommon in goods trade import and export: delayed foreign exchange receipt and payment affects capital turnover,and the complicated export tax refund process leads to slow payment recovery.These links seem independent but are actually closely interconnected,directly affecting the efficiency and profit of foreign trade business.Today,we will systematically sort out the core processes of China’s goods trade import and export,and see in which links professional agency companies can help enterprises avoid pitfalls and improve efficiency.

1.Preparatory Stage: Establish a Compliant Foundation

The core goal of this stage is to confirm the qualifications of goods and prepare compliant documents to avoid problems in subsequent links.Many enterprises tend to ignore early-stage details,leading to delays in subsequent processes.

Key Actions

• Confirm the HS code of goods: Different codes correspond to different tariff rates and regulatory requirements,which need to be accurately matched
• Apply for certificate of origin: Apply for Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) certificate of origin or general certificate of origin according to the requirements of the destination country
• Pre-commodity inspection: Food,electronic products and other goods need to complete commodity inspection in advance,otherwise they cannot be exported

Common Problems

• Incorrect HS code: Leading to overpayment of tariffs or customs clearance delays
• Delayed application for certificate of origin: Affecting the customs clearance speed at the destination
• Missing commodity inspection: Goods will be detained by the customs and cannot be exported normally

Role of Zhongshen

Supervisor He once paid more than 20,000 yuan in extra tariffs due to an incorrect HS code.Ms.Lai from Zhongshen helped him recheck the code and avoided the loss; Zhongshen provides certificate of origin agency service,which can be completed within 3 working days,2 days faster than the enterprise handling it by itself; Zhongshen sorts out the commodity inspection list in advance and reminds enterprises to prepare in advance to avoid delays.

2.Customs Declaration and Inspection Stage: Unlock the Key to Customs Clearance

This stage directly determines whether goods can enter and exit the country smoothly,and is one of the core nodes of the foreign trade process.

Key Actions

• Submit customs declaration form: Contains core data such as goods information,quantity,value,HS code,etc.
• Cooperate with customs inspection: If selected for inspection,prepare goods samples,packing list and other documents
• Pay tariffs and value-added tax: Calculate according to the goods code and value,and complete the payment in time

Common Problems

• Inconsistent information on customs declaration form: For example,the quantity on the packing list does not match that on the customs declaration form,leading to return of the declaration
• Failure to cooperate with inspection: Affecting customs clearance speed and even triggering additional verification
• Incorrect tariff calculation: Overpayment or underpayment,leading to subsequent tax issues

Role of Zhongshen

The enterprise where General Manager Xiang works once had its customs declaration returned due to incorrect amount filled in the declaration form.Mr.Wu from Zhongshen helped him check all the data,re-declare after ensuring consistency,and passed the same day; Zhongshen has dedicated personnel to cooperate with customs inspection,organize all documents in advance,and increase the inspection pass rate by 30%; Zhongshen provides tariff pre-calculation service,allowing enterprises to know the cost in advance and avoid financial pressure.

3.International Transportation and Storage Stage: Ensure Goods Circulation

The goal of this stage is to transport goods to the destination safely and efficiently and reduce storage costs.Different transportation methods have their own advantages and disadvantages,which need to be selected according to the type of goods.

Common Problems

• Shortage of shipping spaces: Unable to book spaces during peak seasons,leading to delivery delays
• Excessive storage fees: Long detention time at the port incurs high costs
• Goods damage: Loss caused by improper packaging during transportation

Role of Zhongshen

Last year during the peak season,the enterprise of Supervisor He secured scarce shipping spaces to Europe through Zhongshen; Zhongshen provides temporary storage services,with costs 20% lower than port storage; Zhongshen provides packaging suggestions,adding cushioning materials for fragile goods,reducing the goods damage rate from 5% to 1%.

4.Foreign Exchange Receipt and Payment,Settlement and Purchase Stage: Compliant Capital Flow

The goal of this stage is to complete capital settlement compliantly and quickly and avoid losses caused by exchange rate fluctuations.Foreign exchange business involves many policies,and improper operation is prone to risks.

Key Actions

• Foreign exchange receipt: Confirm that the customer’s payment has arrived at the designated account and complete foreign exchange declaration
• Foreign exchange settlement: Convert foreign exchange into RMB,calculate according to the exchange rate
• Foreign exchange purchase: Use RMB to purchase foreign exchange if import payment needs to be made

Common Problems

• Incorrect foreign exchange declaration: Leading to failure of funds to arrive
• Exchange rate fluctuations: Loss of profits during foreign exchange settlement
• Complicated foreign exchange purchase process: Delaying payment time

Role of Zhongshen

Provide foreign exchange declaration agency service to ensure accurate information,shortening the fund arrival time from 5 days to 2 days; Provide exchange rate early warning service,the enterprise of Ms.Lai avoided more than 100,000 yuan in exchange rate losses last year by relying on this service; Simplify the foreign exchange purchase process,complete the process on the same day after submitting the materials,avoiding delaying payment.

5.Export Tax Refund Stage: Improve Capital Turnover

The goal of this stage is to obtain tax refund funds in time and improve the capital turnover efficiency of enterprises.The export tax refund process involves multiple departments and has complicated documents.

Key Actions

• Prepare tax refund documents: Customs declaration form,VAT invoice,export contract,etc.
• Submit tax refund application: Submit the application to the tax bureau
• Audit and fund arrival: After the tax bureau audits,the tax refund funds arrive

Common Problems

• Incomplete documents: Leading to rejection of the tax refund application
• Long audit time: Slow arrival of funds,affecting capital turnover
• Invoice issues: Inconsistent VAT invoices,unable to obtain tax refunds

Role of Zhongshen

Sort out the tax refund document list in advance and remind enterprises to prepare to avoid incomplete documents; Have dedicated personnel to connect with the tax bureau and track the audit progress,shortening the tax refund arrival time from 3 months to 1.5 months; Help enterprises check the VAT invoice information to ensure consistency with the customs declaration form.The enterprise of General Manager Xiang passed the tax refund application once last year.

Summary: Core Value of Professional Agencies

Doing foreign trade is not an easy task,and problems may occur in every link.As a Shanghai foreign trade agency company deeply engaged in the industry for more than 20 years,Zhongshen can help enterprises solve all foreign trade problems:

• Full-process coverage: One-stop service from preparatory stage to export tax refund,no need to connect with multiple links
• Rich experience: Familiar with the latest foreign trade policies in 2026,able to quickly respond to various problems
• Cost reduction and efficiency improvement: Help enterprises avoid risks,improve efficiency and reduce operating costs

If enterprises do not want to waste time and energy on links such as customs declaration,transportation and tax refund,choosing a professional agency company is a wise choice.Zhongshen allows enterprises to focus on their core business and achieve efficient growth of foreign trade business.