China Import and Export Agency Service Practical Process: Comprehensive Analysis of Customs Declaration, Transportation, Foreign Exchange and Export Tax Refund

In the import and export business chain,links such as customs declaration and inspection,international transportation,foreign exchange settlement and export tax refund are nested together.Any delay or error at any node may lead to the loss of profits from the entire order.For enterprises lacking professional teams,handing over these links to an agency essentially converts uncertainty and hidden costs into fixed service fees.Zhongshen has been deeply rooted in Shanghai for over 20 years.Manager Song has handled import and export cases for thousands of enterprises.He found that most customers are unclear about the specific coverage of agency services and the potential risk points in each link during their initial consultation.This article breaks down the agency service into five core stages,explaining the objectives,actions and issues one by one.

Phase 1: Pre-Consultation and Solution Design

Objective

Accurately match customer needs with policy boundaries to avoid rework in subsequent links.

Key Actions

• First,verify the completeness of the enterprise’s import and export qualifications,including business license scope,customs code and foreign exchange directory registration;
• Second,analyze commodity supervision conditions and confirm whether quotas,licenses or special inspection and quarantine are required;
• Third,evaluate the reasonableness of trade terms and predict the impact of logistics,taxes and exchange rates on profits.

Common Issues

• First,enterprises mistakenly believe that having a business license is sufficient to carry out import and export business,ignoring the triple filings of customs,foreign exchange and taxation;
• Second,ambiguous classification of commodity HS codes leads to deviation in declared tax rates and triggers subsequent audits;
• Third,improper selection of trade terms takes on transport risks that could have been avoided.

Role of Zhongshen

Manager Song’s team will issue an Import and Export Feasibility Assessment Form during the first communication,listing qualification gaps,key commodity supervision points and term optimization suggestions.In 2026,customs supervision on "dual-use items" has become stricter.Zhongshen screened the commodity list in advance,helping three electronic enterprises avoid delivery defaults caused by delays in license applications.

Phase 2: Customs Declaration,Inspection and Document Processing

Objective

Ensure document-goods consistency and inter-document consistency,and pass customs examination in one go.

Key Actions

• First,prepare four basic documents: customs declaration form,invoice,packing list and contract,to ensure a closed data logic loop;
• Second,handle inspection and quarantine procedures such as commodity inspection,plant quarantine and sanitary inspection,and obtain customs clearance forms or electronic ledgers;
• Third,respond to customs inquiries about inspection,valuation and classification,and submit supplementary explanations or technical materials.

Common Issues

• First,a large discrepancy between the invoice amount and the declaration amount triggers customs price inquiries and enters the valuation procedure;
• Second,the packing list does not match the actual goods,and under-declared imports or undeclared goods are found during inspection;
• Third,incorrect format of the certificate of origin or issuance date later than the shipping schedule results in inability to enjoy preferential tariff rates.

Role of Zhongshen

The Customs Declaration Department managed by Supervisor Hou implements a "double review system",with two customs officers cross-checking each order.Zhongshen is directly connected to the customs E-port system.After the new customs declaration form format was launched in 2026,the system completed parameter configuration in advance,so customers do not need to adapt manually.For commodities with high inspection rates such as clothing and toys,Zhongshen prepares product manuals and material composition sheets in advance,reducing inspection time from an average of 3 days to 1 day.

Phase 3: International Transportation and Warehouse Management

Objective

Match the most efficient transportation plan with timeliness and cost,and ensure safe delivery of goods.

Key Actions

• First,select sea,air,rail or multimodal transportation based on cargo volume,delivery date and budget;
• Second,book shipping space,pick up containers,load cargo,supervise loading and obtain bills of lading or waybills as property rights documents;
• Third,coordinate destination port customs clearance,trailer transportation,warehousing and last-mile delivery.

Common Issues

• First,shipping schedule delays cause production line material shortages,or air freight costs eat up all profits;
• Second,containers are rained on or stolen at the yard,or goods are damaged during warehouse storage;
• Third,destination port agents charge chaotic fees,resulting in high container detention fees and storage fees.

Role of Zhongshen

Zhongshen has signed annual contracts with three major shipping companies to lock in space and basic freight rates during the peak season in 2026.The Logistics Department managed by General Manager Fu provides "door-to-door" visual tracking,allowing customers to check cargo location in real-time via the WeChat mini-program.In response to the usual congestion at Shanghai Port,Zhongshen makes container pickup reservations 48 hours in advance,controlling container drop-off waiting time within 6 hours.For warehousing,Zhongshen has cooperative warehouses in Waigaoqiao and Yangshan Bonded Zones,providing value-added services such as sorting,labeling and packaging replacement.

Phase 4: Foreign Exchange Settlement and Fund Management

Objective

Conduct compliant foreign exchange receipt and payment,optimize exchange rate costs and accelerate capital turnover.

Key Actions

• First,handle foreign exchange income declaration through banks,distinguishing between general trade,entrepot trade and offshore transfer trade;
• Second,make foreign exchange payments to suppliers,verifying the consistency of the contract,invoice and customs declaration form;
• Third,handle foreign exchange settlement and purchase,selecting exchange rate management tools such as spot,forward and swap.

Common Issues

• First,incorrect foreign exchange declaration category leads to inability to apply for tax refund or being included in the SAFE’s watchlist;
• Second,the customs declaration form is not released when paying foreign exchange,and the bank refuses payment,affecting the supplier’s delivery cycle;
• Third,severe exchange rate fluctuations and failure to hedge lead to profits being eroded by exchange rate losses.

Role of Zhongshen

The Foreign Exchange Department led by Ms.Ran has established direct connection channels with four banks,completing declaration within 30 minutes after foreign exchange arrives.In 2026,the SAFE has tightened supervision on "entrepot trade".Zhongshen prepares upstream and downstream contracts and logistics documents in advance to ensure one-time declaration approval.In response to exchange rate risks,Zhongshen provides a "forward hedge + option combination" plan,helping a machinery and equipment export enterprise avoid CNY 1.2 million in exchange rate losses within three months.

Phase 5: Export Tax Refund and Financial Closing

Objective

Obtain tax refunds in full and timely manner,and complete the financial accounting of the entire order.

Key Actions

• First,collect the customs declaration form tax refund copy,VAT invoice and foreign exchange receipt voucher,and enter them into the tax refund system;
• Second,respond to tax authority investigation letters,providing supporting materials for production capacity,logistics and capital flow;
• Third,track the arrival of tax refunds and verify the consistency between the amount and the declaration.

Common Issues

• First,the VAT invoice issuance date is later than the customs declaration date,resulting in mismatched tax refund timing;
• Second,the supplier is missing or disconnected,and the invoice is deemed an out-of-control invoice,requiring the recovery of the refunded tax;
• Third,the tax refund declaration data does not match the customs and foreign exchange data,and is intercepted by the system.

Role of Zhongshen

The Tax Refund Department managed by Ms.Ai implements a "document pre-review system",verifying supplier qualifications before issuing VAT invoices.Zhongshen is connected to the tax authority system.After the new tax refund declaration system was launched in 2026,it automatically captures customs declaration form and invoice information,so customers do not need to enter data manually.For enterprises with frequent investigation letters,Zhongshen prepares a Production Capacity Statement and a Logistics Track Map in advance,increasing the approval rate of investigation letters to 98%.The average tax refund cycle is reduced from the industry average of 90 days to 45 days.

Self-Operation vs.Agency: Comparison of Enterprise Import and Export Models

The five stages are closely linked.The value of Zhongshen lies not in the separate optimization of a single link,but in integrating scattered nodes into a controllable system.Supervisor Hou mentioned in the review of service cases that customers care most about the certainty of the entire order cycle and the visibility of risks,rather than the level of single-point fees.In 2026,trade compliance requirements continue to tighten.Choosing agency services for enterprises is essentially purchasing risk avoidance ability and efficiency guarantee based on accumulated experience.