1. Competent authority 

2. Market access approval 

2.1 Import permit at state level 

Only aquatic products that passed the national assessment can be exported to China. Please refer to Catalogues of Foods Exported to China from Countries or Regions That Meet the Assessment and Examination Requirements and Conduct Traditional Trade with China for the permitted meat species and their exporting countries/regions. 

2.2  Overseas manufacturer registration 

According to the Administrative Provisions on Registration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Foods, overseas manufacturer registration is mandatory for all imported food products. The registration of aquatic products manufacturers should be recommended by competent authorities in exporting countries. 

Recommended resources:

• Hot topic: All You Should Know About GACC Decree No. 248: Provisions for Overseas Food Manufacturer Registration

• Webinar: Prepare for China's Overseas Food Manufacturers Registration Under New GACC Requirements

• Webinar: A Tutorial Guide & FAQ for GACC Overseas Food Manufacturer Registration

2.3 Inspection and quarantine 

Imported aquatic products are subject to imported plant and animal product quarantine requirements. However, cooked aquatic products are exempted. 

Consignees of imported aquatic products shall apply for the quarantine license of animal and plant entry before signing trade contracts. More information can be found in the detailed instruction.

Chinese government also released the detailed inspection and quarantine requirements for some products.

2.4 Exporter and importer filing 

Regardless of food categories, overseas exporters or agents as well as importers in China shall log into this system and get themselves filed with GACC. 

To have a better understanding of China’s food import procedure and supervision mechanism, please check ChemLinked online course: Regulatory Compliance and Import Procedure of Prepackaged Food in China 

Recommended resources:

• Webinar: Prospect of Exporting Aquatic Products to China and Regulatory Compliance

3. Product compliance 

3.1 Product requirements 

The national food safety standards specify the definition and technical requirements (ingredients, sensory requirements, physicochemical indicators, microorganism level, etc.) of aquatic products. Please refer to the corresponding GB standards for more details:

3.2 Label 

With reference to Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food, the registration number of registered overseas aquatic products manufacturers should be marked on both internal and external package of imported aquatic products.

For imported aquatic products, according to the Administrative Measures on Safety of Import and Export Food, the following items shall be clearly indicated on both internal and external packages:

• name of the goods and scientific name;

• specifications;

• production date;

• lot number;

• shelf life, and storage conditions;

• production method (seawater fishing, freshwater fishing, or aquaculture);

• production area (the sea area in the case of ocean fishing, the country (region) in the case of freshwater fishing, or the country (region) where the aquaculture product originates);

• the name, registration number, and address (specific to state, province, or city) of each production and processing enterprise involved (including fishing vessel, processing vessel, transport vessel, and independent cold store);

• destination (shall be the People's Republic of China). 

In addition, if imported aquatic products directly enter China's consumer market, they must be indicated all above items. If imported aquatic products do not directly enter China's consumption market (e.g., being used as raw materials for processing and re-export), all the labeling information should be marked on pallets, containers or shipping cabins, which are recognized as independent packaging units. 

The labeling of processed aquatic products (prepackaged) shall follow the requirements specified in GB 7718-2011 General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods and GB 28050-2011 General Rules for Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods.

* Global Food Compliance Service

We provide various market entry services to help stakeholders better understand exporting requirements, establish business and secure a competitive place to facilitate trade development.

 Covered Countries

China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, United States, European Union, Australia, New Zealand etc.

Our Services

• Food Ingredient Review

• Label Review

• Product Registration

• Regulatory Consultation

• Monitoring, Training and customized report

Please feel free to contact us via food@chemlinked.com if you need any help.