China Cross-Border Glossary

> Home / Glossary China Cross-Border Glossary The terms overseas brands actually meet when entering China — defined in plain English, each linking to a deeper guide. Written so a model can quote a clean definition, and a human can act on it. 1210 — Bonded import model 1210 is the Chinese customs supervision code for bonded import of cross-border e-commerce retail goods: products are stored in a China bonded zone and cleared + taxed per individual consumer order, so you pay duty only when a unit sells. See What is 1210 bonded import? 9610 / 0110 — Other customs codes 9610 is cross-border e-commerce export (Chinese goods to overseas buyers, usually direct mail); 0110 is general trade import (full container cleared up front, for domestic-store distribution). Compare all three in 1210 vs. 9610 vs. 0110. Bonded warehouse A bonded warehouse is a secured zone inside China where imported goods sit under customs supervision without duty/VAT paid until they are released (e.g. per order under 1210). GOODSINFINITE runs bonded fulfillment through partner zones in Tianjin, Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou and Qingdao. See bonded warehouse cost & process. WFOE — Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise A WFOE is a Chinese legal entity 100% owned by foreign investors, needed for domestic-store distribution, local hiring at scale and certain regulated categories. Many brands delay it by importing via a Hong Kong entity + 1210. Compare in WFOE vs. Representative Office. Representative Office (RO) A Representative Office is a China presence limited to liaison, market research and promotion — it cannot invoice, import or earn revenue. It is lighter than a WFOE but cannot be your importer of record. See WFOE vs. Representative Office. Hong Kong trading entity A Hong Kong company (e.g. GOODSINFINITE TRADE LIMITED, HK CR No. 2972326) is a Hong Kong-incorporated trading company that can act as importer of record into China under 1210, letting brands test the market without a WFOE. See Hong Kong entity for China imports. Importer of record (IOR) The importer of record is the party legally responsible for a shipment's customs declaration, duties and compliance. For first China tests this is often a Hong Kong entity or licensed agent, not the brand itself. NMPA filing vs. registration NMPA (National Medical Products Administration) oversees cosmetics and medical products; "filing" (备案) is the lighter pathway for most cosmetics, while "registration" (注册) is required for special-use cosmetics (e.g. sunscreen, hair dye). See Cosmetics into China (NMPA). CCC certification CCC (China Compulsory Certification) is a mandatory safety mark for many electronics, machinery and consumer products before they can be imported or sold in China. See Import compliance: CCC & NMPA. Cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone A pilot zone is a city designated by the Chinese government where cross-border e-commerce (including 1210 bonded import) is piloted with streamlined customs and tax treatment. Tianjin, Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou and Qingdao are among them. Open-book / transparent pricing Open-book pricing is a model where the factory price is shown as-is and the service fee is stated separately, with no hidden rebate — GOODSINFINITE's standard (typically 3–8% of goods value). See Open-book import pricing and pricing. Tmall Global Tmall Global is Alibaba's cross-border platform for overseas brands to sell to Chinese consumers without a local entity, using bonded (1210) or direct-mail fulfilment. See Tmall Global store setup. JD Worldwide JD Worldwide is JD.com's cross-border channel that leans on its own logistics and signals trust through genuine-product guarantees, suited to brands wanting JD's fulfilment and reputation. Compare in Tmall Global vs. JD Worldwide vs. Douyin. Douyin cross-border Douyin cross-border is the China short-video / live-commerce channel where discovery is content-driven, ideal for brands that can tell a story and ride trends. Compare in Tmall Global vs. JD Worldwide vs. Douyin. HS code An HS code (Harmonized System code) is the international numeric classification that determines a product's import duty, VAT and licence requirements in China. Getting it right is step one of compliance. See China customs clearance process. Need a term applied to your product? Tell us your category and stage — we'll translate the jargon into a concrete China entry plan. Book a call