Guides
Practical, sourced guides for UK businesses dealing with China and for Chinese companies coming to the UK. Each guide shows its sources and the date it was last checked.
Red flags in Chinese court and enforcement records, explained (2026)
Dishonest debtor, consumption restriction, terminated enforcement, abnormal operations: which Chinese court records matter before you pay a deposit.
Read the guide →Due diligenceDue diligence before a China joint venture or distribution deal (2026)
What to check before a China JV, distribution or licensing deal: hidden owners, chops, related parties, trademarks, state links and enforcing arbitration.
Read the guide →Due diligenceForced labour and sanctions screening of Chinese suppliers (2026)
What UK and EU buyers must check on Chinese suppliers: UK sanctions ownership rules, the EU forced labour ban, UFLPA and the Modern Slavery Act.
Read the guide →Supplier checksWhat a factory audit in China checks, and what it can't (2026)
What a China factory audit covers, BSCI, SMETA, SA8000 and ISO 9001 explained, how to check a certificate, audit limits, and the checks an audit cannot replace.
Read the guide →Supplier managementManaging a Chinese supplier from the UK: the monthly routine (2026)
A weekly, monthly, per-order and yearly routine for UK buyers managing Chinese suppliers remotely: quality, delivery, prices, moulds and 2027 holidays.
Read the guide →Representation in ChinaDo you need a representative in China? Representative office, subsidiary or contracted representative (2026)
What a Representative Office can and cannot do, its tax and set-up time, why you cannot simply hire someone in China, and when a contracted representative is the better answer. Includes 2026 visa-free travel rules.
Read the guide →Due diligenceWho really owns a Chinese company? How to trace shareholders and control (2026)
What China’s official register shows under the 2024 Company Law, why beneficial ownership is not public, VIE and nominee structures, sanctions and forced-labour screening, and how to do due diligence lawfully.
Read the guide →Disputes and refundsChinese supplier stopped answering? What to do in the first 72 hours (2026)
Holidays to rule out, the five checks to run in 72 hours, common reasons suppliers go quiet, and your options if it becomes a dispute: limitation periods, arbitration and enforcement.
Read the guide →SourcingHow to find a reliable manufacturer in China (2026): routes, badges, fairs and checks
Where UK buyers find Chinese manufacturers, what Alibaba, Made-in-China and Global Sources badges really prove, whether the Canton Fair is worth it, sourcing agent commissions, and a checklist before the first order.
Read the guide →Payment fraudChinese supplier asked you to pay a new bank account? Check before you send (2026)
How to tell a genuine bank change from invoice fraud, the 7 checks before paying a new account, and what to do in the first hour if you already paid a fraudster.
Read the guide →Payment fraudIs it safe to pay a Chinese supplier's Hong Kong account, or one in a different name?
Why Chinese suppliers ask to be paid in Hong Kong, which accounts are acceptable, how to check the link to the factory, and what to put in the contract.
Read the guide →Supplier checksIs my Alibaba supplier legit? The 10-minute check before you pay a deposit (2026)
What Alibaba Verified and Manufacturer badges really prove, a five-step check of licence, register, names, courts and payment route, and the warning signs that should stop a payment.
Read the guide →Disputes and refundsChinese supplier wants the balance before production is finished? What to ask for first
Why suppliers push for the 70% balance early, the evidence to demand before paying, how to negotiate without stopping the order, and what to do if the supplier keeps your deposit.
Read the guide →Disputes and refundsBulk order from China worse than the sample? How to claim without shipping it back
What to do in the first 48 hours, why returning goods to China rarely pays, the five remedies that work (partial refund, credit, parts, rework), and how to prevent it next time.
Read the guide →China market entryHow can a UK company start selling in China? Routes, rules and costs (2026)
Cross-border e-commerce, distributors or a WFOE: how UK firms sell in China, the RMB 5,000/26,000 CBEC limits, first-to-file trademarks, CCC, cosmetics and food rules, and trade fairs.
Read the guide →Supplier checksHow much does it cost to verify a Chinese supplier? Checks, audits and inspections (2026)
2026 prices for checking a Chinese supplier: US$129 registry reports, factory audits about US$400 a day, inspections about US$270-400 a day, agent fees, and which check fits your order.
Read the guide →Supplier checksIs my Chinese supplier a factory or a trading company? How to tell (2026)
How to tell if a Chinese supplier is a real factory or a trading company: business scope wording, address clues, what Alibaba Verified badges prove, and video call tests.
Read the guide →Supplier checksHow to read a Chinese business licence and check the Unified Social Credit Code (2026)
Every field on a Chinese business licence (营业执照) in English, the 18-character USCC structure, how to search gsxt.gov.cn, status terms, and 2024 Company Law capital rules.
Read the guide →Disputes and refundsHow to get your money back from a Chinese supplier (2026), incl. Alibaba Trade Assurance
Deadlines for Alibaba Trade Assurance, card chargebacks and PayPal disputes, why UK APP refunds exclude payments to China, debt collectors, Chinese courts and enforcing UK judgments in China.
Read the guide →Moulds and toolingChinese factory holding your moulds? What to do, and how to prevent it
Why Chinese factories hold moulds, what Civil Code Articles 783 and 448 allow, how court asset freezes work, likely costs, and a prevention checklist for your next tooling order.
Read the guide →Export sanctionsSelling to China or Hong Kong? UK sanctions end-use controls and buyer checks (2026)
Since 13 May 2026 UK exporters need a licence if OTSI warns that goods for China or Hong Kong may be diverted to Russia. What triggers it, red flags, and how to check a Chinese buyer.
Read the guide →Carbon border taxUK CBAM from 1 January 2027: a guide for importers of Chinese steel and aluminium
Who pays the UK carbon border tax, the key dates, how the charge is worked out, actual versus default emissions values, and what to ask Chinese suppliers now.
Read the guide →Due diligenceHow to verify a Chinese or UK company before you pay or sign
A practical checklist: which official registers to search in China and the UK, the red flags that matter, how to protect payments and moulds, and what to do if something has already gone wrong.
Read the guide →UK set-upSetting up a UK company as a Chinese business: steps, costs and timing (2026)
Subsidiary or UK establishment, Companies House fees from February 2026, director identity checks, bank accounts, HMRC registrations, VAT, EORI, staff and the annual filings.
Read the guide →Companies HouseCompanies House identity verification for directors living outside the UK
Who must verify, the deadline for existing directors, the two ways to verify from China or anywhere abroad, and what happens if you miss it.
Read the guide →Product complianceSelling Chinese-made products in Great Britain: the product rules in 2026
CE and UKCA marking, the general safety rules, what online marketplaces now handle for overseas sellers, VAT, and the proposed UK responsible person requirement.
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