GDCE urges food exporters to comply with China’s new registration policy

GDCE urges food exporters to comply with China’s new registration policy

The revised measures are expected to strengthen safety supervision and enhance the management of enterprises exporting to China.

The General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) Monday urged food exporters in the country to comply with the revised registration requirements set out by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), which are scheduled to take effect on June 1.

The revised policy on the ‘Regulation of China on Registration Administration of Overseas Production Enterprises of Imported Foods’ aimed at ensuring the safety of imported food products in China while maintaining the sustainability of food trade cooperation with overseas partners.

To ensure the efficient and timely export of Cambodian food products to the Chinese market, GDCE called on all local food enterprises intending to export their products to China to prepare for compliance with the new procedures and regulations.

According to GACC, around 95 percent of overseas food-producing enterprises already registered with Chinese customs will be eligible for automatic renewal of their registrations, ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing food trade activities with China.

The updated framework was designed to ensure smooth integration with the existing registration system, with the operations of more than 96,000 registered foreign food enterprises expected to remain unaffected after the new rules come into force on June 1.

For enterprises that are still required to undergo manual renewal procedures, GACC has significantly extended the application submission period. Under the previous system, companies were required to apply for renewal between three and six months before their registrations expired.

Under Order No 270, enterprises are now allowed to submit renewal applications between three and 12 months before expiration, providing exporters with greater flexibility and reducing the risk of registration lapses that could disrupt shipments to the Chinese market.

The new regulations also introduce a ‘list-based registration’ fast-track mechanism aimed at improving efficiency and reducing administrative burdens for overseas exporters seeking market access to China.

In addition, documentation requirements for first-time applicants have been simplified, enabling foreign food enterprises to complete registration procedures with fewer supporting documents and shorter processing times.

Based on GACC, the revised measures were introduced to facilitate the development of imported food trade while strengthening food safety supervision and enhancing the management of overseas food-producing enterprises exporting to China.

The regulations are accompanied by implementation guidelines under Announcement No 27 of 2026 and are expected to support smoother customs clearance and more efficient regulatory coordination between China and exporting countries.

The revised policy came amid China’s stricter inspection and traceability requirements for imported agricultural and food products, particularly fresh fruit shipments, following concerns over contamination, pesticide residues and phytosanitary compliance standards.

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