Mandatory inspection:

The scope of mandatory inspection: inspection of all the goods enlisted to be inspected by the commercial inspection organization for import and export; quarantine tests for export food; quarantine tests for export animal products; appraisal for the function and usage of packages and containers for dangerous goods to be exported; appraisal for the transportation conditions of cargo holds and containers for decompose-prone food to be exported; tests on imports and exports which are regulated by other laws and stipulations.

Inspection exemption:

Some goods are exempt from inspection providing that they meet the requirement of the State Commodity Inspection Bureau and are so approved of. Inspection exemption can also be granted to samples, presents and gifts, exhibits not for sale, and other goods with non-trade nature.

Quality licensing:

For those import and export goods involving safety and sanitation, import license for safety and export license for quality are given to their manufacturers. No import or export of such goods is permitted without the verification and license of the commodity inspection organizations. At present, export licenses for quality are issued for nine categories of goods and the import licenses for safety are issued for 47 categories of goods.

Hygienic enrollment and registration:

All plants and storehouses that produce, process and store export-oriented food in China must pass the verification test of commodity inspection organs and be given hygienic enrollment or registration for their plants and storehouses before they are entitled to produce, process, and store food for export. Import inspection for foreign- funded enterprises: Those import goods to be used by foreign-funded enterprises are subject to inspection to be conducted by these enterprises themselves. Except for imports subject to mandatory inspection and imports involving hygienic and safety issues, other imports are subject to inspection to be conducted by these enterprises.

The equipment and raw materials, which are paid for by foreign-funded enterprises, who demand appraisal of the value of their imported equipment and raw materials, should be reported and inspected by the commodity inspection organization; the equipment and raw materials, which are purchased from overseas through entrustment by overseas partners, should be reported and inspected by the commodity inspection organization. Verification and appraisal certificates serve as the valid documents in the examination of the capital invested by the joint venture or cooperative enterprises.

Priority policy:

Foreign-funded enterprises which produce export- oriented products enjoy priority when applying for such documents as inspection appraisal, quality license, hygiene registration and referential certificate for original place of production.