Wed 15 September 2021 – ACBC Victoria in partnership with Global Victoria as part of the Global Victoria Trade Alliance hosted an important online event for the China Export Program – Getting Your Goods to China.
We would like to thank our speakers Nick Henderson (Victorian Government), Arnold Jorge (Export Council Australia), Brett Charlton (Agility), Jet Li (Australia Quality Assurance) and Al Liang (China Certification & Inspection Group) for their experienced insights and practical knowledge of exporting to China.
Moderated by ACBC Victoria CEO, Virginia Birrell, speakers unpacked elements, insights and tools to navigate the complexities of getting goods into China, including understanding the new global trading and export environment, current issues in global logistics and shipping, packing and documentation of exports, and complying with food regulations and labelling requirements.
Some key learnings and opportunities include the value of vigilance, persistence and diversification for success in China, the importance of secure, well-marked packaging and early planning with freight forwarders, how to correctly label food products according to China’s food regulations and GB standards and understanding the role of GACC for successful certification and clearance of products into China.
Arnold Jorge, CEO of Export Council Australia, presented an overview of the current Australia-China trade relationship, attesting to its resilience, and outlined the headwinds faced by Australian exporters. Persistence and diversification, including maintaining close relationships and staying vigilant to ensure compliance, were key takeaways for success.
He was followed by Brett Charlton, Tasmania State Manager from Agility, who explored ongoing challenges in shipping to China, such as congestion and rising freight rates. He highlighted the importance of secure and clearly marked packaging when packing for export, as well as supplying correct and sufficient documentation and early planning with freight forwarders.
Jet Li, from Australia Quality Assurance, provided a comprehensive breakdown of food regulations and labelling requirements for food exports into China. He gave in-depth insight into the components of correct labelling, whose violations contributed to 18% of export non-conformances in 2020, and outlined the ecosystem of China’s main labelling standards, which includes the Guobiao or GB standards.
The discussion was continued by Al Liang, from China Certification & Inspection Group. He provided an update on China’s Food Safety Law and outlined the requirements and activities of GACC, including registration, conformity assessments and port inspections, to ensure successful certification and clearance of products into China.
Watch a recording of this event on the ACBC Insights Centre here.