China Cross-Border Glossary

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 operates bonded 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.

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