Regimes · 06 Editorial guide
China Bonded Zones, Processing Trade and AEO
A special regime changes movement, inventory and discharge controls; it does not erase classification, value, origin or licences. Map the legal status of the goods from entry through storage, processing, domestic sale, transfer, return or re-export.
First job Confirm whether the goods are on a special regime before applying general-trade rules.
Start here
Key considerations
The first questions are about urgency, governance and preservation — before collection expands or interviews begin.
- Is this general trade, bonded, FTZ, or CBEC?
- Where do the goods sit now?
- Which licence or platform is in use?
Direct answer
What this page decides
02
This page owns TC04 bonded, TC05 processing trade and TC06 AEO as one special-regimes L4. Bonded warehousing/processing is not an FTZ slogan. Processing trade has eligibility, handbooks/accounts, domestic sale and reconciliation. AEO is a credit-management certification with controls and possible suspension. city bonded articles. Export-controls still apply inside a zone.
At a glance
Which fact changes the next route
Use the fact that changes ownership or urgency to decide the next move.
| Question | Why it matters | Next route |
|---|---|---|
| General trade? | Declaration L4. | |
| CBEC? | Consumer/e-com inventory still pending — do not invent a new L3. |
Scope
What this page owns — and what it does not
Practical workflow
Action, evidence, legal gate, output
| Action | Documents / evidence | Legal gate | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name the regime | Bonded vs processing vs FTZ vs AEO | One at a time | Choice |
| Eligibility and accounts | Handbook, inventory system | Reconciliation duty | Account |
| Domestic sale or scrap | Duty implications | Do not ‘just sell inland’ | Tax/duty event |
| AEO controls if claimed | Internal SOP, security | Suspension risk | Credit file |
Documents
What to gather before the next call
These items help clarify the file; they are not a legal requirement list.
| Item | Why needed | Who holds it | Risk if missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handbook/account and inventory | Processing/bonded | Ops | Unexplained loss |
| AEO certificate and SOP | Credit | Compliance | Paper AEO |
Common failure points
Where files usually break
Treating FTZ as duty-free forever after inland sale.
FAQ
Narrow follow-ups owned by this page
Is AEO a licence to skip classification?
No. It is a credit status. HS/value/origin still have to be true.
Decision map
Keep the question bounded.
- Identify the exact regimeDistinguish bonded zone or warehouse, processing trade, FTZ measure, CBEC model, temporary import/export and general trade; record the operator and customs authorisation.
- Map physical and customs flowsConnect entry, transfer, storage, processing, consumption, scrap, domestic sale, return and re-export to declarations, books, locations and responsible persons.
- Control master data and balancesMaintain code, value, origin, unit consumption, inventory and licence data; reconcile customs books to warehouse, ERP and finance and investigate variances promptly.
- Plan discharge and changeCalendar handbooks, guarantees, verification, domestic-tax conversion, destruction, transfer, renewal and closure; assess consequences before changing product, supplier, process or location.
Quick answers
Need the short version? Start with one narrow question.
These explainers answer one question. They do not replace this topic route or a deep guide.
Curated resources
Open the asset that matches this job.
Customs Law of the PRC
Official GACC English text covering declarations, advance rulings, valuation, audits, security and enforcement.
Origin of Import and Export Goods Regulations
Official rules for non-preferential origin and advance origin determinations; preferential agreements require their own product-specific rules.
Dual-use export-control regulations
Official State Council release for the 50-article dual-use regime effective 1 December 2024.
Helpful to prepare
Facts that make the next conversation clearer.
These items are orientation aids, not a legal requirement list.
Counsel hand-off
What to bring when you instruct
Instruct customs counsel. Bring: regime, handbook, and any domestic-sale plan.
Local context
Add the port when local customs practice changes.
Clearance, bonded and audit practice can differ by port and FTZ after the national question is identified.
Open city and province guidesCounsel hand-off
Need trade and customs counsel?
This hub organises classification, value, clearance and clocks. It does not declare goods, compute duty or bind Customs on your facts.
Find trade & customs counselLegal review
Who reviewed this guide
Need qualified counsel?
Move carefully. Move with a record.
Use the portal to identify counsel for this practice and related China-side issues.