Adjustments to China Import and Export Manifest Rules

The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) has issued Announcement No.56 [2017] to adjust the manifest rules of import and export in the country, effective June 1, 2018. MIQ Logistics will adhere to the new requirements and transmit all required electronic data to China Customs prior to arrival or departure of air and sea shipments. To avoid delays, the following key points require your attention in your future shipping documentation:

1. Manifest submissions must be made 24 hours prior to loading. This includes all import and export shipments moving by air or sea to / from / via China mainland ports.
2. The manifest must accurately and completely reflect all goods under the bills of lading and waybills.
3. The cargo description must be complete, accurate, and cover all the goods.
4. Full contact details of the Shipper and Consignee (or the Notify Party if Consignee is “To Order”) are mandatory, including the Enterprise Codes. For example, for China — USCI (Unified Social Credit Identifier), OC (Organization Code); U.K. – Company Number, VAT (Value Added Tax) Identification Number; USA — CIK (Central Index Key), EIN (Employer Identification Number).

Additional data elements required in your documentation include:

• Shipper’s company code (U.S. – EIN)
• Shipper’s phone number
• Consignee’s company name
• Consignee’s company code (your buyer will need to provide this to you)
• Consignee’s phone number
• Name of contact person for Consignee
• Phone number for contact person for Consignee
• Notify Party’s company name
• Notify Party’s phone number

Note:

As the U.S. Shipper, you must obtain the Chinese Consignee’s USCI or OC before placing the booking with MIQ at origin.
As a U.S. Consignee, you must provide your EIN number to the Shipper in China prior to the cargo booking.

Currently, the Chinese Customs authorities have not announced consequences for missing, wrong, or late filings. However, some carriers have announced that the failure to comply with this new regulation will result in either the non-shipment of cargo from port of loading, or the risk of cargo being held or rejected by the Chinese Customs authorities. In either case, any potential additional costs will be assessed to the account of the Shipper, regardless of the Incoterms being used for said shipment.

We will keep you posted when further developments regarding implementation of the regulation are available. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact your local MIQ Logistics representative.