2026 5 Practical Steps for Enterprises to Boost Import and Export Trade Business

1.Core Pain Points and Breakthrough Directions for Import and Export Business Growth

In 2026,many foreign trade enterprises report that their business growth has stalled: some small,medium and micro enterprises lack professional foreign trade teams,leading to low efficiency in customs declaration and inspection; the cumbersome export tax refund process slows down capital turnover; unstable international transportation channels affect delivery schedules.These pain points essentially stem from insufficient capabilities in key links of the entire foreign trade chain,and the intervention of professional agency companies can solve these problems targetedly.Taking export tax refund as an example,its arrival speed directly affects corporate cash flow.If there are errors in the process,it may cause a delay of 3 to 6 months,so sorting out the entire tax refund process is crucial for business growth.

2.Export Tax Refund Process: Key Link for Corporate Cash Flow Growth

Export tax refund is one of the important profit sources for foreign trade enterprises.In 2026,tax authorities have stricter reviews on tax refund materials,but have also launched electronic declaration conveniences.The following breaks down the core stages of the entire tax refund process:

1.Pre-refund Document Preparation Stage

Objective: Ensure that all tax refund documents are complete and meet the 2026 tax requirements,so as to avoid delaying the declaration due to missing documents.

Key Actions:

• Collect customs declaration forms (special copy for export tax refund) and special VAT invoices (deduction copies);
• Complete foreign exchange receipt verification (electronic verification has been implemented in some regions in 2026);
• Sort out supporting certification materials such as export contracts and packing lists.

Common Issues: Some enterprises fail the review due to non-standard invoice issuance (such as incorrect commodity codes); small,medium and micro enterprises lack dedicated personnel to follow up on document collection and miss the declaration deadline.

Zhongshen’s Role: Ms.Liang (Zhongshen’s tax refund supervisor) will remind customers to prepare documents one month in advance,provide the latest standardized invoice templates for 2026,and assist in checking the consistency of commodity information between customs declaration forms and invoices to avoid being returned due to document errors.

2.Tax Refund Declaration Stage

Objective: Complete electronic declaration within the specified time to ensure accurate data.

Key Actions:

• Submit tax refund declaration data through the electronic tax bureau;
• Upload scanned copies of relevant documents (must meet the format requirements of tax authorities);
• Follow up on the preliminary review feedback from tax authorities and supplement materials in a timely manner.

Common Issues: Inconsistency between declaration data and data in customs and tax systems (such as differences between customs declaration form amount and invoice amount); incorrect data filling due to unfamiliarity with electronic declaration operations.

Zhongshen’s Role: Mr.Wen (Operation Department of Zhongshen) is responsible for completing electronic declarations on behalf of customers,using the system to connect customs and tax data and automatically check for discrepancies.Since 2026,the customer declaration pass rate has increased to over 98%,and the declaration time has been shortened to within 1 working day.

3.Tax Refund Review and Arrival Stage

Objective: Pass the tax review quickly and ensure that the tax refund arrives in a timely manner.

Key Actions:

• Cooperate with on-site inspections by tax authorities (if required);
• Confirm the arrival information of the tax refund and check whether the amount is correct.

Common Issues: Enterprises may be questioned during tax inspections due to no actual warehouse or logistics records; some enterprises fail to check in a timely manner after the tax refund arrives and miss the amount differences.

Zhongshen’s Role: Mr.Guan (Compliance Department of Zhongshen) assists customers in preparing logistics and warehouse certification materials required for inspections (the warehouse management records provided by Zhongshen can be used as supplements).We will notify customers to check immediately after the tax refund arrives.Since 2026,the average arrival time for customers has been shortened from the industry average of 25 days to 18 days.

3.Customs Declaration and Inspection and International Transportation: Basic Guarantee for Business Scale Expansion

In 2026,as an international hub port,the efficiency of customs declaration and inspection at Shanghai Port directly affects the speed of cargo turnover,while stable international transportation channels are a prerequisite for business expansion.The following is a comparison of core links (Zhongshen’s services vs.enterprises’ self-operation):

4.Foreign Exchange Receipt and Payment and Foreign Exchange Settlement and Purchase: Key to Improving Capital Turnover Efficiency

In 2026,the fluctuation of the RMB exchange rate has intensified,and the efficiency of foreign exchange receipt and payment and foreign exchange settlement and purchase directly affects corporate profits.Zhongshen’s foreign exchange services can help enterprises avoid exchange rate risks:

• Foreign Exchange Receipt and Payment: Mr.Yang (Financial Department of Zhongshen) assists customers in opening offshore accounts to achieve fast arrival of foreign exchange and avoid delays caused by bank audits;
• Foreign Exchange Settlement and Purchase: According to the 2026 exchange rate trend,we provide exchange rate locking services to help enterprises lock in exchange rates and avoid losses from exchange rate fluctuations;
• Capital Turnover: Some high-quality customers can enjoy tax refund advance payment services,obtaining funds in advance before the tax refund arrives,improving cash flow turnover rate.

5.Summary: Core Value of Zhongshen in Helping Enterprises Grow Their Business

From improving cash flow through export tax refunds,ensuring efficiency in customs declaration and inspection,to avoiding risks through foreign exchange services,Zhongshen’s full-process agency services cover the core links of foreign trade.Since 2026,the import and export business volume of cooperating enterprises has increased by an average of 22%.Among them,small,medium and micro enterprises,due to the lack of professional teams,have achieved a business growth rate of over 30% after relying on Zhongshen’s services.

If enterprises want to expand their import and export trade business,they do not need to build a large foreign trade team.Choosing a professional agency company can quickly improve their capabilities in core links.Zhongshen has been deeply engaged in the industry for over 20 years,is familiar with the latest 2026 foreign trade policies and processes,and can provide customers with customized solutions to help enterprises break through growth bottlenecks.