Buyer questionAnswered from the China side
Does your Chinese supplier need an export licence?
Ask which goods will ship and which entity will export them. China ended the old foreign-trade operator filing in 2022. Goods permits and other trade rules still apply.
What changed
30 December 2022: China removed the former foreign-trade operator filing requirement. Commerce authorities stopped processing it. The Ministry of Commerce confirmed that other permit applications no longer require that filing document.
1 March 2026: the revised Foreign Trade Law took effect. Article 11 defines trade operators by lawful registration or other required formalities and trade carried out under applicable laws.
The repeal did not remove all trade controls. Article 21 retains licences for restricted goods. Use the 2026 export-licence catalogue and the rules for your actual goods.
What business scope tells you
The registered business scope (经营范围) lists the entity’s activities. Import-export wording alone does not prove export history, a current goods permit or who will export your order.
| Question | Group and query date | Returned result |
|---|---|---|
| Scope contains 进出口 | 264 entities from three “Little Giant” list excerpts; 8 August 2026 | 197 of 264 (74.6%) |
| A customs credit record was returned | 45 entities matched from the NHTSA list; 22 August 2026 | 41 of 45 (91.1%) |
A customs credit entry may contain registration, filing or credit information. Its presence does not prove a shipment. No returned entry does not prove that an agent exports for the company.
NHTSA listing is based on manufacturer-reported data. It does not prove current production or that products reached US roads. See the 264-company scope study and NHTSA study and selection method.
Before a shipment, ask for three checks
- Exporter and customs roles. Get the exporter’s full legal name and relevant customs registration or filing details. Identify any customs broker separately. Ask who will handle the declaration.
- Goods and permits. Have the product, classification, destination and planned shipping date checked against current rules. The 2026 catalogue requires licences for listed goods; dual-use controls can require a separate permit.
- Permit details. Where a permit is needed, match its holder, goods, conditions and validity to the shipment. A licence for another product or company will not answer your question.
Ask your customs broker about import rules in your country as well. A Chinese company record cannot settle those requirements.
Match the names and roles
Put these names side by side before payment:
- The seller on the contract and the issuer of the invoice.
- The account holder you are asked to pay.
- The proposed exporter and any customs broker.
- The shipper on the bill of lading, which may be a different role.
If names differ, request documents showing each party’s role and authority. Confirm changed payment details through a contact route you already trust. An explanation alone does not verify the arrangement.
Use the beneficiary check, commercial invoice checklist and bill of lading guide for each document.
What this service can check
Currawong reports public records for a named Chinese entity, with sources, query dates and gaps. These can help you check the legal name, status and registered scope.
We do not issue or verify export licences. We do not classify controlled goods, handle customs clearance, or give legal or tax advice. Confirm shipment requirements with your broker and the relevant authority.
Read supplied text with the free check
The free check reads text you provide in your browser. It does not retrieve an official registry record.
Sources and dates
Official texts checked on 5 September 2026. Check for later rules before shipping.
- Ministry of Commerce: the 2022 filing repeal.
- Foreign Trade Law in force from 1 March 2026, Articles 11 and 21.
- MOFCOM and GACC: 2026 export-licence catalogue, including the dual-use permit rule.
- Customs Decree 282, effective 1 April 2026, Article 12 on public credit information.
- NHTSA: manufacturer-reported data.
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.
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