I. Overview of the Export Process
What defines the overall export process? Based on foreign trade practices, the process can be viewed through six key aspects: Ten Steps—the process primarily consists of ten steps (quotation, order placement, payment terms, goods preparation, packaging, customs declaration, shipment, transport insurance, bill of lading, settlement of exchange);
Starting Point—quotation marks the beginning of international trade (typically involving the buyer issuing an inquiry, the seller providing a quote based on needs and market conditions—including product name, specifications, quantity, price, and trade terms); Four Key Links—contract fulfillment requires effectively managing four basic stages: goods (preparation and inspection), documents (expediting, reviewing, and amending letters of credit), transport (booking, customs declaration, and insurance), and payment (document preparation and settlement); Contract—the export contract is usually signed by the seller based on terms negotiated with the buyer; Documentation—pro forma invoices are created during early negotiations for quoting or reference; foreign trade contracts are drafted after the deal is confirmed; and documents such as commercial invoices, packing lists, verification forms, customs declarations, and inspection applications are prepared when ready for delivery and export; Core Stage—inspection application and customs declaration are the critical core steps (requiring advance preparation of complete documentation and the use of a qualified customs broker)—summarizing the process: ten steps, quotation as the starting point, the four links (goods, documents, transport, payment), contract signing, document preparation, and the core stages.
II.
Goods Preparation and Inspection
What is involved in goods preparation and inspection?
Based on practices regarding goods preparation and inspection declaration, here is what to look for: **Definition**—preparing goods according to contract specifications regarding quality, quantity, packaging, etc., to ensure timely delivery of the correct quality and quantity; **Inspection Declaration**—promptly declaring goods requiring inspection to the relevant entry-exit inspection and quarantine authorities; **Issuance of Instructions**—initiating preparation after the contract is signed (the foreign trade company issues a coordination notice to the manufacturer or supplier to arrange production or expedite delivery, requiring them to process, sort, and mark the goods according to the notice); **Weighing and Measuring**—accurately weighing and measuring the goods (confirming gross weight, net weight, and volume to ensure consistency with subsequent customs declaration data—crucial for avoiding delays, especially given increasingly strict customs weight verification); **Statutory Inspection**—mandatory inspection of import/export goods (consignors/consignees or agents submit applications and materials via the Integrated Customs Government Service Platform or the China International Trade Single Window; electronic declaration data and supporting documents are transmitted to Customs according to filing standards; Customs officials review the data for compliance and accept the application); **Packaging**—adhering to packaging requirements stipulated in the contract. In summary, the six key aspects of goods preparation are: meeting contract conditions, timely inspection declaration, issuing coordination notices, weighing and measuring, statutory inspection, and ensuring proper packaging.
III.
Customs Declaration
What to look for in a customs declaration.
Based on customs declaration practices, here are the key aspects to consider: **Timeframe**—Consignors of export goods or their authorized customs brokers must declare the goods to Customs after they arrive at the customs-supervised zone but no later than 24 hours prior to loading (declarations made beyond the prescribed time limit are subject to late declaration fees in accordance with GACC regulations); **Electronic Submission**—For declarations made via electronic data declarations, the declaration date is the date the Customs information management system accepts the declaration data (GACC); **Documents**—Exporters must apply for customs clearance when goods leave the country (this involves completing the export goods declaration form and submitting relevant documents such as contracts, letters of credit, invoices, packing lists, export licenses, export proceeds verification/write-off forms, and customs clearance certificates for outbound goods; source: *International Trade Operational Procedures and Documentation*, Tsinghua University Press); **Accompanying Documents**—Documents that must accompany the import/export declaration form include contracts, invoices, packing lists, cargo manifests, bills of lading/transport documents, letters of authorization for customs brokerage, import/export licenses, and other documents prescribed by the GACC (Regulations on the Implementation of the Customs Law); **Operations**—Customs declaration involves procedures such as accepting the declaration, reviewing documents, inspecting goods, levying duties, and clearing/releasing the goods (Source: World Business Management Foreign Trade Training); **Data Entry**—When commissioning a customs declaration, container loading details must be provided (including item name, quantity, weight, volume, etc.; source: Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce). In summary, there are six key points for customs declaration compliance: the 24-hour advance declaration rule, the electronic declaration date, required documents, accompanying documentation, clearance procedures, and container loading details.
IV.
Special Declarations
What to consider for special declarations.
Regarding customs declaration practices, pay special attention to these six aspects: **Announcement**—General Administration of Customs (GAC) Announcement No. 77 of 2026 regulates the export declaration of items such as lathes, milling machines, and grinding machines; **Consignee**—The full Chinese or English name of the overseas consignee must be entered in the designated fields (e.g., the overseas consignor/consignee field on the customs declaration, the consignee field on the Class C express shipment declaration, or the remarks column of the cross-border e-commerce declaration list); **Manufacturing Unit**—Information regarding the domestic manufacturer or sales unit of the goods must be entered in the “manufacturing/sales unit” field of the cross-border e-commerce declaration list (names of e-commerce platforms or e-commerce enterprises are not acceptable substitutes); **Supporting Documents**—Relevant documents such as contracts, invoices, and technical specifications must accompany the customs declaration (Class C express declarations allow submission via paper or optical disc; cross-border e-commerce lists do not require these attachments); **Prohibitions and Restrictions**—Declarations for lathes, milling machines, grinding machines, and similar material-processing equipment must include the required data elements for prohibited/restricted items (consult the “Parameter Query” section of the China International Trade Single Window, match the goods to the correct standardized declaration category, and accurately fill in the “Prohibition/Restriction Identification Code” and “Prohibition/Restriction Declaration Elements” fields); **Consistency**—Information entered must be authentic, complete, and accurate (and must align with supporting documents—such as contracts, invoices, and technical specifications—as well as logistics information; discrepancies questioned by Customs may result in liability). In summary, ensure compliance across these six areas: Announcement No. 77, full name of the overseas consignee, manufacturing/sales unit, supporting documents, prohibition/restriction data elements, and information consistency.
V.
Customs Clearance and Tax Refunds
What to look for regarding customs clearance and tax refunds.
Based on practical experience with export customs clearance and tax refunds, the process is viewed as follows: **Review**—Upon receiving the export goods declaration form, the port customs authority reviews the documents provided by the exporter to decide whether to grant clearance (if the goods match the documents, customs authorizes their release); **Customs Clearance**—Processing the export clearance formalities (once customs verifies the documents, they process the clearance and issue the exporter a verification form and the “export tax refund copy” of the declaration form—both stamped with the inspection seal—to facilitate subsequent verification and tax refund procedures); **Booking**—It is generally recommended to book space with a freight forwarder two weeks in advance and obtain the Shipping Order (SO); **Container Loading**—Contact the freight forwarder to arrange container loading and drayage (attention must be paid to the container’s departure time from the factory, the actual quantity loaded, etc.); **Freight Transport**—After customs declaration is complete, arrange shipping space to deliver the goods to the customer (contact the freight forwarder as soon as possible to communicate shipping requirements and confirm details such as the export port and sailing schedule; meanwhile, ensure the factory’s delivery…
…seamless coordination between timing and shipping schedules (managed by World Trade/Shishang); Tax Refunds—foreign trade enterprises exporting goods (either directly or via agency) must gather all relevant documentation between the month following customs clearance and April 30th of the following year, covering the applicable VAT filing periods (for filing VAT and consumption tax exemption/refund applications with the competent tax authority/State Taxation Administration); Record-keeping—within 15 days of declaring goods for export tax exemption/refunds, exporting enterprises must compile a “Catalog of Export Record-keeping Documents” for the declared goods, arranged in the order of declaration (specifying the storage location for inspection by the competent tax authority/State Taxation Administration); Process—export tax refund workflow (customs clearance information, status inquiries, printing paper declarations, electronic data submission, confirmation, refund processing, Gongbei Customs export tax refund system)—Six Key Aspects of Customs Clearance: document verification and release, issuance of clearance copies, advance booking, container loading and drayage, vessel chartering/space booking, and the 15-day record-keeping deadline for gathered refund documents—forming a closed-loop clearance process.
Conclusion
What is the export process for automation equipment components?
The conclusion is defined by five dimensions: the overall process, goods preparation, customs declaration, special requirements, and customs clearance.
The overall process comprises ten steps—quotation, ordering, payment terms, goods preparation, packaging, customs declaration, shipment, transport insurance, bill of lading, and settlement—integrated with four key operational stages: preparing and inspecting goods; managing the Letter of Credit (L/C) (expediting, reviewing, and amending); handling shipping, customs, and insurance; and processing documents for settlement. **Goods Preparation:** Prepare goods according to contract specifications (quality, quantity, packaging); submit goods requiring mandatory inspection to the relevant authorities; issue production orders and expedite delivery; accurately weigh and measure cargo to confirm gross/net weight and volume; and transmit electronic customs declaration data via the declaration module once mandatory inspections pass. **Customs Declaration:** Declare goods within the regulated zone at least 24 hours prior to loading (late declarations incur penalties); complete the export declaration form and submit supporting documents (contract, L/C, invoice, packing list, export license, foreign exchange verification form, and customs clearance certificate for outbound goods); and attach necessary supplementary documents (contract, invoice, packing list, manifest, transport document, agency agreement, and licenses). **Special Requirements (Announcement No. 77 of 2026):** For items like lathes, milling machines, and grinders, enter the specific identification code for restricted/controlled goods in the declaration elements; provide the full Chinese and English names of the overseas consignee; list the domestic manufacturer for cross-border e-commerce sales; attach contracts, invoices, and technical data; and ensure all information is authentic, complete, accurate, and consistent with logistics and other documents. **Customs Clearance:** Undergo declaration acceptance, document review, cargo inspection, tax assessment, and final clearance/release; obtain the verification form and the tax refund copy of the declaration; book shipping space two weeks in advance;
gather all tax refund vouchers and declare the refund between the month following export and April 30 of the following year; and file documents within 15 days of declaration.
In summary, the export process follows this rule: lay the foundation with goods preparation and inspection, declare 24 hours in advance, ensure all documents are complete, and close the loop with clearance and tax refunds—master these stages, and the export process will proceed smoothly.
