Paths and Methods for Foreign Aquatic Products to Enter the Chinese Market

 

China is the world's largest consumer and importer of aquatic products. In 2024, the total import value of aquatic products reached 105.6 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.3%, of which the import volume of farmed aquatic products accounted for 28% of global trade volume, and that of captured aquatic products accounted for 19%. For overseas aquatic product enterprises, entering the Chinese market must strictly comply with the requirements of the "Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Inspection and Quarantine of Imported and Exported Aquatic Products", the "Food Safety Law" and relevant announcements of the General Administration of Customs. At the same time, they need to overcome multiple barriers such as access assessment, quarantine approval, and fresh cold chain control. This article systematically dissects the core paths and practical key points for foreign aquatic products to enter China, and clarifies the key value of cooperating with chinaentryhub.com China Market Access Service Center in improving access efficiency and reducing compliance risks, combined with authoritative data and typical cases.

 

I. Core Paths and Practical Specifications for Foreign Aquatic Products to Enter China

According to the regulatory requirements of the General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, foreign aquatic products mainly enter China through three core paths: general trade import, joint venture/wholly foreign-owned factory construction, and cross-border e-commerce direct supply. Different paths vary significantly in qualification requirements, process complexity, and product adaptability, and need to be accurately selected based on product types (fresh/frozen/processed aquatic products), enterprise strength, and market strategy.

 

(I) General Trade Import: Mainstream Entry Path, Suitable for All Types of Aquatic Products

General trade import is the preferred way for foreign aquatic product enterprises to initially enter the Chinese market, suitable for all types of products such as fresh aquatic products (e.g., lobsters, salmon), frozen aquatic products (e.g., cod, squid), and processed aquatic products (e.g., canned fish, surimi products). The core advantages of this path are wide market coverage and mature circulation channels, but its compliance process is strict, especially with extremely high requirements for cold chain and quarantine approval of fresh aquatic products.

 

1. Core Practical Process (Including Differentiated Compliance Nodes)

①　Preliminary Access Verification: First, confirm whether the product's country of origin and category are included in the General Administration of Customs' "List of Countries or Regions Exporting Aquatic Products to China That Meet the Assessment and Review Requirements and Have Traditional Trade" (farmed and captured categories are listed separately). Products not included in the list are strictly prohibited from import. Overseas production enterprises need to complete registration with the General Administration of Customs (farming enterprises additionally need to provide proof of epidemic prevention and control system), and domestic importers need to complete importer filing. Corresponding approvals shall be handled according to product types: for fresh farmed aquatic products, an Import Permit for Animals and Plants and Their Products shall be applied for in advance (application cycle: 15-20 working days); for captured aquatic products, fishing certificates and origin certificates shall be provided.

 

②　Document and Packaging Preparation: It is necessary to prepare complete documents such as the official health certificate of the exporting country (clearly indicating product name, production batch, and farming/capturing attribute), full-item test report (including indicators such as heavy metals, microorganisms, and drug residues; fresh shellfish need additional testing for shellfish toxins), trade contract, bill of lading, and packing list. The packaging must meet dual requirements: both inner and outer packaging shall indicate the country of origin, production enterprise registration number, and production batch number; the outer packaging of fresh aquatic products shall be marked with "fresh" and storage temperature requirements; the outer packaging of frozen aquatic products shall be marked with freezing temperature and shelf life.

 

③　Customs Clearance, Inspection and Release: After the goods arrive at the designated supervision site, fresh aquatic products need to complete rapid inspection first (the General Administration of Customs has opened a "green channel for fresh agricultural products", and the inspection time is shortened to within 4 hours). For frozen and processed aquatic products, document review, on-site inspection (verification of documents and goods, packaging labels, and sensory status), and sampling and testing (taking 5-10 days) shall be carried out in sequence. Only after qualification assessment and issuance of the "Inspection and Quarantine Certificate for Inbound Goods" can the products enter the market for circulation.

 

2. Case and Data Support

Norwegian salmon enterprise Nordlaks has deeply cultivated the Chinese market through general trade import. In 2024, its total salmon exports to China reached 32,000 tons, accounting for 28% of China's total salmon imports. The key to its success lies in completing overseas enterprise registration and quarantine approval filing in advance, and ensuring product freshness through professional cold chain logistics. Data shows that in 2024, aquatic products imported through general trade accounted for 82% of China's total aquatic product imports, of which frozen aquatic products accounted for 65% and fresh aquatic products accounted for 17%. The main supplying countries are Thailand, Norway, and Russia, accounting for 25%, 18%, and 13% respectively. From January to May 2025, customs nationwide quickly inspected and released 12,000 batches of imported fresh aquatic products, a year-on-year increase of 12%, and the "green channel" has effectively improved the customs clearance efficiency of fresh aquatic products.

 

3. Cooperative Empowerment Value

chinaentryhub.com can provide full-process differentiated compliance counseling: verify the access status of the country of origin and enterprise registration qualifications in advance, clarify the approval differences between farmed and captured aquatic products, and avoid risks such as "not included in the list of countries exporting to China" and "incomplete approval materials"; assist in optimizing document and packaging label design to ensure compliance with GB7718 "National Food Safety Standard General Rules for the Labeling of Prepackaged Food" and special requirements for aquatic products (label issues account for 31% of the reasons for unqualified imported aquatic products); connect with resources of designated supervision sites for imported fresh aquatic products, assist in tracking the progress of quarantine approval, and shorten the customs clearance cycle by more than 40% on average with the advantage of the "green channel".

 

(II) Joint Venture/Wholly Foreign-Owned Factory Construction: In-depth Rooting Path, Suitable for Processing and Localized Production

For foreign enterprises with strong financial strength and plans to deeply cultivate the Chinese market for a long time, joint venture or wholly foreign-owned factory construction is the optimal choice. This path can realize localized processing of aquatic products, reduce tariffs and transportation costs, and more accurately match the taste preferences of Chinese consumers (e.g., ready-to-eat aquatic products, seasoned fish products). However, it requires large initial investment and a long approval cycle, and needs to overcome multiple thresholds such as land, environmental protection, and production capacity planning.

 

1. Core Practical Key Points

• Policy Compliance Threshold: The factory site selection must avoid water source protection areas, supporting facilities such as sewage treatment, cold chain warehousing, and processing clean workshops that meet standards must be constructed, and pass the environmental impact assessment and acceptance of the environmental protection department and the food production license review of the market supervision department; the production process must comply with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and establish a full-chain quality traceability system from raw material procurement to finished product sales.

• Choice of Cooperation Mode: Joint venture factory construction can quickly penetrate with the channel resources and market experience of local enterprises (e.g., Guolian Aquatic Products, Zhangzidao); wholly foreign-owned factory construction has complete control rights, but it is necessary to build a supply chain and sales network independently.

• Raw Material Supervision: If imported raw materials are used, relevant regulations on general trade import must be followed; if local raw materials are purchased, they must comply with China's national standards such as GB2733 "National Food Safety Standard Fresh and Frozen Animal Aquatic Products".

 

2. Case Analysis

Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Group has deeply rooted in China's aquatic product processing market through a joint venture model: in 2021, it established Zhanjiang Charoen Pokphand Hengxing Aquatic Products Co., Ltd. in a joint venture with Guangdong Hengxing Group, focusing on shrimp processing and ready-to-eat aquatic product production. Relying on Hengxing Group's local raw material procurement and channel resources, Charoen Pokphand quickly covered supermarket and catering channels across the country; at the same time, it introduced Charoen Pokphand's global food safety management system into the joint venture factory, and the products passed HACCP certification. In 2024, the sales volume of the joint venture company reached 3.2 billion yuan, accounting for 58% of Charoen Pokphand's total aquatic product sales in China. A similar case is Japan's Marubeni Corporation, which built a wholly-owned aquatic product processing base in Qingdao, Shandong, focusing on high-end surimi product production. Its market share in China increased to 5.1% in 2024.

 

3. Cooperative Empowerment Value

chinaentryhub.com can provide full-cycle consulting services for factory construction: assist in conducting policy feasibility analysis, clarify tax preferences and land policies in different regions (e.g., free trade zones, port economic zones); connect with high-quality local partner resources to reduce information asymmetry risks in joint venture negotiations; guide the completion of approval processes such as environmental impact assessment and food production license handling, shortening the average project preparation cycle by 8-10 months.

 

(III) Cross-Border E-Commerce Direct Supply: Rapid Reach Path, Suitable for High-End Niche Aquatic Products

Cross-border e-commerce direct supply is suitable for niche products such as high-end fresh aquatic products (e.g., Australian lobsters, Icelandic cod) and characteristic processed aquatic products (e.g., Japanese unagi kabayaki, European caviar). Relying on bonded warehouse or direct mail mode, it can quickly reach young consumer groups without the need to apply for a domestic food production license. However, it is limited by factors such as single-order quota and fresh cold chain logistics capacity, making it difficult to achieve large-scale distribution.

 

1. Core Practical Specifications

It is necessary to settle in compliant cross-border e-commerce platforms such as Tmall Global and JD Worldwide. Products must comply with the quality standards of the country of origin and the regulatory requirements for cross-border e-commerce imported food in China; Chinese labels can adopt the form of "electronic labels + paper inserts", and the marked content must comply with GB7718 standards. For fresh aquatic products, it is necessary to select logistics enterprises with cross-border cold chain qualifications to ensure that the temperature is controlled at 0-5℃ throughout the process, and complete temperature records are kept for inspection (cold chain breakage is the main reason for unqualified cross-border fresh aquatic products, accounting for 42%).

 

2. Case and Data

Australian lobster brand "Australian Seafood Exports" entered the Chinese market through Tmall Global's bonded warehouse model, directly supplying fresh Australian lobsters from Australian fishing ports to domestic consumers. Relying on the rapid customs clearance advantage of cross-border e-commerce, the delivery time was shortened to within 48 hours. In 2024, the sales volume of the brand's cross-border e-commerce channel reached 180 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 53%. Data shows that in 2024, the scale of China's cross-border e-commerce imported aquatic products reached 3.8 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 29%, of which high-end fresh aquatic products accounted for more than 60%, becoming an important channel for foreign enterprises to develop niche high-end markets.

 

3. Cooperative Empowerment Value

chinaentryhub.com can provide full-chain compliance support for cross-border e-commerce: assist in completing platform settlement qualification review and clarify cross-border e-commerce tax policies (detailed rules for tariff and value-added tax reduction and exemption); optimize fresh cold chain logistics solutions, connect with cross-border cold chain enterprises with compliant qualifications, and establish a full-chain temperature monitoring system of "overseas warehouse - bonded warehouse - consumer"; assist in handling label compliance and traceability management to ensure compliance with the General Administration of Customs' requirements for traceability of cross-border imported food, and reduce the risk of platform delisting due to compliance issues.

 

II. Core Policy Query Channels for Foreign Aquatic Products to Enter China (Chinese Relevant Government Department Websites)

Before entering China's aquatic product market, foreign enterprises need to complete preliminary work such as access qualification verification, policy interpretation, and standard query through Chinese official department websites. The following are core query channels and function descriptions, which accurately connect with regulatory requirements and avoid information asymmetry risks:

 

1. Relevant Query Platforms of the General Administration of Customs

• Query of Registration List of Overseas Enterprises for Imported Agricultural Products: http://dzs.customs.gov.cn/dzs/2747042/6787828/index.html. It can query the registration status of overseas production enterprises of aquatic products exported to China and confirm whether the enterprises are eligible for exporting to China.

• "Animal and Plant Inspection Information Query" on Internet + Customs: https://online.customs.gov.cn/ociswebserver/pages/dzjxxcx/index.html. It provides services such as the processing progress of Import Permit for Animals and Plants and Their Products and the query of the list of products exported to China, covering core information on quarantine approval of fresh aquatic products.

• Query of Registration of Overseas Production Enterprises of Imported Food: https://ciferquery.singlewindow.cn/. It can verify the validity of the registration number of overseas production enterprises in China and ensure that the information marked on product packaging is compliant.

 

2. Relevant Query Channels of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

• New Version Data Channel of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs: http://zdscxx.moa.gov.cn:8080/nyb/pc/index.jsp. It provides authoritative information such as fishery production data, aquatic product import and export trade data, and agricultural and veterinary drug standards, helping foreign enterprises grasp industry macro trends and quality standard requirements.

• China Agricultural Foreign Economic and Trade Information Network: http://www.mczx.agri.cn/myyj_1/gjny/. It releases interpretations of agricultural product import policies and international market dynamics, providing policy references for foreign enterprises to formulate strategies for entering China.

 

3. Relevant Query Platforms of the State Administration for Market Regulation

• Official Website of the State Administration for Market Regulation (http://www.samr.gov.cn/). It can query core standard texts such as GB2733 "National Food Safety Standard Fresh and Frozen Animal Aquatic Products" and GB7718 "National Food Safety Standard General Rules for the Labeling of Prepackaged Food", ensuring that product quality and label design are compliant.

 

4. Cooperative Empowerment Value

chinaentryhub.com can provide full-process counseling for official website queries: sort out the core query functions and operation nodes of various department websites, assist foreign enterprises in quickly locating required information (e.g., list of countries eligible for exporting to China, verification of enterprise registration status); interpret professional clauses in policy documents to avoid access delays caused by misunderstandings of policies; regularly update policy dynamics, provide early warnings of policy changes and response suggestions for enterprises, and ensure the continuous compliance of the process of entering China.

 

III. Operation Strategies for China's Aquatic Product Public Domain and Private Domain Markets (Scale, Differences and Operation Methods)

After completing the access to China's aquatic product market, foreign enterprises need to accurately match the layout of public domain and private domain markets. According to data from the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Association, the scale of China's aquatic product retail market exceeded 720 billion yuan in 2024, of which the public domain market accounted for more than 80%, and the private domain market grew significantly, becoming the core engine of increment. The two have significant differences in traffic attributes and operation logic, and differentiated operation strategies need to be adopted.

 

1. Scale and Core Differences between Public Domain and Private Domain Markets

 

(1) Market Scale Data

In 2024, the scale of China's aquatic product public domain market exceeded 600 billion yuan, of which comprehensive e-commerce platforms (Tmall, JD.com) accounted for about 35%, and supermarkets and catering channels accounted for about 45%; the scale of the private domain market exceeded 120 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 29%, mainly concentrated in the fields of high-end fresh aquatic products and customized processed aquatic products, and the repurchase rate of leading brands in the private domain could reach more than 35%. In 2025, Norway's salmon exports to China increased by 42%, of which the public domain e-commerce channel contributed 38% of sales and the private domain channel contributed 15% of sales, becoming a dual growth engine.

 

(2) Core Differences​​​​​​​

Comparison Dimension	Public Domain Market	Private Domain Market
Traffic Attribute	Public traffic, fierce competition, need to pay to obtain	Private traffic, accurate users, repeatable reach
Customer Acquisition Cost	High, the commission rate of comprehensive e-commerce platforms is 5%-15%	Low, almost no customer acquisition cost in the repurchase stage
User Stickiness	Low, users are prone to loss due to price and promotional activities	High, long-term repurchase based on trust relationship
Operation Core	Brand exposure, traffic conversion, relying on platform rules	User relationship maintenance, value precipitation, independent control of operation rhythm
Suitable Products	Standardized products (e.g., frozen cod, canned fish)	High-end customized products (e.g., fresh lobsters, ready-to-eat sashimi)

 

2. Practical Operation Methods of Public Domain and Private Domain Markets (Including Cases)

 

(1) Public Domain Market Operation Methods

• Settling in E-commerce Platforms: Select compliant platforms such as Tmall Global and JD Worldwide, and carry out operations relying on the platform's traffic advantages. For example, Australian lobster brand "Australian Seafood Exports" settled in Tmall Global, and through the "bonded warehouse direct delivery + live streaming with goods" model, its public domain sales volume reached 180 million yuan in 2024, of which the live streaming channel contributed 60% of the sales volume. It is necessary to focus on platform compliance requirements, such as label marking and cold chain logistics standards.

• Cooperation with Supermarkets and Catering Channels: Connect with large supermarkets such as Walmart and Hema, or chain catering enterprises such as Haidilao and Xibei, to achieve large-scale distribution. Through its joint venture company, Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Group cooperated with Hema to launch ready-to-eat shrimp products. In 2024, the sales volume of the supermarket channel reached 1.2 billion yuan, accounting for 37.5% of the joint venture company's total sales volume.

 

(2) Private Domain Market Operation Methods

• Private Domain Traffic Precipitation: Release product short videos, live store visits and other content through public domain channels (Douyin, Xiaohongshu), and use "same-city delivery discounts" and "member-exclusive discounts" as hooks to guide users to add corporate WeChat or enter communities. A seafood store in Shaoxing precipitated more than 50,000 private domain users through this method, and the monthly sales volume of the private domain accounted for 70%.

• Refined Operation Conversion: Establish a user tag system (e.g., consumption capacity, preferred categories), regularly push customized content (e.g., seafood cooking tutorials, new product previews), and carry out activities such as limited-time group buying and member days to improve repurchase rate. For example, Norwegian salmon brand Nordlaks launched a "family sashimi set meal" for private domain users, with a repurchase rate of 42%, 18 percentage points higher than that of the public domain channel.

• Closed-Loop Operation Construction: Open up the link of "public domain traffic attraction - private domain precipitation - consumption conversion - word-of-mouth fission", and attract new users through word-of-mouth sharing of private domain users to reduce customer acquisition costs. Through private domain user fission, 35% of the new users of the Shaoxing seafood store in 2024 came from recommendations from old users, and the annual sales volume increased by 25 million yuan.

 

3. Cooperative Empowerment Value

chinaentryhub.com can provide full-link operation support for public and private domain markets: on the public domain side, assist in completing the qualification review for e-commerce platform settlement, interpret platform rules and commission policies, connect with supermarket and catering channel resources, and reduce channel expansion costs; on the private domain side, provide user precipitation strategy design, assist in building corporate WeChat communities and member systems, and formulate refined operation plans; match enterprises with the optimal public-private domain ratio strategy based on market data, for example, suggest the "public domain traffic attraction + private domain repurchase" model for high-end fresh aquatic products, helping foreign enterprises quickly open the Chinese market.

 

IV. Core Compliance Risks and Cooperative Avoidance Strategies for Foreign Aquatic Products to Enter China

The core risks faced by foreign aquatic products entering China include: lack of access qualifications, incomplete quarantine approval, non-compliant labels, fresh cold chain breakage, excessive drug residues/microorganisms, etc. According to customs data, from January to June 2025, a total of 286 batches of unqualified imported aquatic products were intercepted nationwide, of which fresh aquatic products accounted for 52%, with the main problems being substandard cold chain temperature and detection of diseases; the main problems of frozen aquatic products were non-compliant labels and excessive drug residues.

 

1. Access and Approval Risks

Overseas enterprises that have not completed registration with the General Administration of Customs, products not included in the list of countries exporting to China, and fresh farmed aquatic products that have not obtained an Import Permit for Animals and Plants and Their Products will all lead to the return or destruction of goods. chinaentryhub.com can provide preliminary access assessment services, verify the access status of the country of origin and enterprise registration qualifications in advance, assist in distinguishing the approval requirements of farmed and captured aquatic products, ensure that the approval materials are complete and effective, and avoid fatal access risks.

 

2. Label and Packaging Risks

Problems such as failure to mark the production enterprise registration number on the label, failure to clarify the farming/capturing attribute, and incomplete Chinese content account for 31% of the reasons for unqualified aquatic products. chinaentryhub.com can provide special label compliance review services, check the label content item by item against GB7718 and special requirements for aquatic products, and assist in designing compliant Chinese and English labels to avoid losses caused by label problems.

 

3. Fresh Cold Chain and Testing Risks

Temperature out of control during the transportation of fresh aquatic products is likely to cause spoilage or epidemic spread, and frozen aquatic products may breed microorganisms due to improper storage. chinaentryhub.com can connect with compliant domestic and foreign cold chain resources to establish a full-process temperature monitoring system; at the same time, assist enterprises in conducting full-item testing in advance, focus on counseling the testing of special indicators such as drug residues and shellfish toxins, and avoid the risk of unqualified testing.

 

V. Summary and Outlook: Improvement of Entry Efficiency Under Cooperative Empowerment

The consumption upgrading trend of China's aquatic product market (such as high-endization, convenience, and healthiness) provides broad opportunities for foreign enterprises, but the strict regulatory system and complex market environment put higher requirements on the comprehensive capabilities of enterprises. From preliminary policy query, mid-term access path selection to later public and private domain market operation, each link requires professional support. Relying on in-depth interpretation of China's aquatic product regulatory policies, full-process practical experience, official resource docking capabilities, and market operation insight, chinaentryhub.com China Market Access Service Center can help foreign enterprises quickly break through core barriers such as access assessment, quarantine approval, and channel expansion, shorten the average preparation cycle for entering China by more than 45%, and reduce compliance risks and market expansion costs.

In the future, with the further improvement of China's market opening-up level, the supervision of aquatic product imports will become more standardized and intelligent, and the market model of public-private domain integration will also become the mainstream. Cooperating with chinaentryhub.com can not only realize "rapid access", but also help foreign enterprises achieve the transformation from "product entry into China" to "brand rooting" through continuous compliance counseling, market adaptation suggestions and operation support, occupying a place in the highly competitive Chinese aquatic product market.