Field noteOne scope line, read properly
Does import-export wording mean a supplier can export?
货物进出口 means goods import and export. It is a registered activity. Before ordering, confirm the exporter, contracting seller and payee, and ask how their roles fit together.
1. What the line records
The business scope lists the activities registered for the entity. 货物进出口 covers goods import and export; 技术进出口 covers technology import and export.
| Frame | Companies | Scope carries 进出口 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shandong excerpt | 136 | 109 | 80.1% |
| Anhui excerpt | 113 | 77 | 68.1% |
| Yunnan excerpt | 15 | 11 | 73.3% |
| All three | 264 | 197 | 74.6% |
Of these 264 companies, 67 had no import-export wording. The count describes this group, without assessing each company’s right or ability to export. Study sources and method.
2. The filing ended; other rules remain
On 30 December 2022, China removed the former foreign-trade operator filing requirement. The Ministry of Commerce confirmed that commerce authorities would stop processing it.
The revised Foreign Trade Law took effect on 1 March 2026. Article 11 still ties foreign trade to lawful registration and other applicable rules. Article 14 allows operators to act for others within their business scope.
Goods and technology can also be subject to permits, restrictions and other procedures. Ask the exporter and customs broker what applies to your shipment. Read the current law, Articles 11, 14, 17 and 21.
3. Questions to ask your supplier
- Who will export? Get the entity’s full legal name and the relevant customs registration or filing details.
- Who signs and receives payment? Match the contract and invoice to the proposed payee. Ask for documents explaining any affiliate or agent. Check the payment details.
- Who makes the goods? An exporter may sell goods made by another entity. Map the names and roles.
Follow the official company-registration search steps. For a first reading of supplied scope text, use the free in-browser check.
4. Read each item for what it says
| What you see | What it records | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 货物进出口 / 技术进出口 | Goods / technology import-export activity | The exporter, relevant records and rules for your shipment |
| No import-export wording | No such activity stated in this scope | Who will export and on what basis |
| 许可经营项目 | Licensed activities | The licence holder, covered activity and validity |
A listed activity does not prove that a required licence is held. See the export-licence guide for the difference between the former filing and product-specific permits.
5. A returned record is not proof of a shipment
On 22 August 2026, we checked customs credit and qualification fields for 45 Chinese entities matched from the NHTSA manufacturer list.
| Returned record types | Companies | Still to check |
|---|---|---|
| Customs credit record and qualification certificates | 33 | What each record covers and whether it is current |
| Customs credit record only | 8 | Whether the entry records filing, credit status or activity |
| Qualification certificates only | 3 | Certificate scope and the planned exporter |
| Neither | 1 | Why no result was returned |
A customs credit entry can contain registration or filing information. Its presence alone does not prove past shipments. A certificate record also needs its holder, scope and dates checked.
A missing result leaves the export arrangement unknown. The 2026 customs credit rules, Article 12, list the kinds of information publicly disclosed.
How the 45 entities were selected. This is a different group from the 264 above; the counts do not show change over time.
Sources and limits
Official texts checked on 5 September 2026. This guide does not decide whether a specific shipment is lawful.
- Ministry of Commerce: the 2022 filing repeal.
- Foreign Trade Law, effective 1 March 2026.
- Customs Order 282, effective 1 April 2026: official copy hosted by Hong Kong’s Trade and Industry Department.
Frequently asked questions
Why does goods import and export (货物进出口) appear as its own line in a Chinese business scope?
It records goods import and export as an activity in the business scope. The line is separate from the former foreign-trade operator filing, which ended in 2022.
Does a supplier still need export rights in its scope to sell to me legally?
The scope line alone cannot decide this. The former operator filing ended on 30 December 2022. Check the planned exporter and the registration, customs and product rules that apply to your shipment.
What changed on 30 December 2022?
China removed the foreign-trade operator filing requirement. Commerce authorities stopped processing that filing. This did not remove all other rules for foreign trade.
If the filing is gone, why do factories still sell through trading companies?
A factory may use a trading company for sales or export services. Ask who makes the goods, signs the contract, receives payment and exports. The filing repeal does not explain a particular supplier’s arrangement.
How we checked
The census figures come from reading the official registry excerpts of 264 listed specialised manufacturers ourselves. Fill rates come from running our report process on real companies and counting how many of the twelve dimensions returned data on the date stated. The most recent query date on this page is 22 August 2026. Where a table carries its own date, that date governs.
The official pages we read are listed on this page with the date each was accessed, so every figure can be re-checked at source.
Need a dated record check for your supplier? See the factory-or-trader report scope and prices before ordering. Packs from $26.55.