Shipping from China to Philippines

We are very familiar with the Filipino market; we ship over 6,000Teu per year from China to the Philippines. Including, steel pipes, GI wire, plywood, furniture, cups, flooring mats, mixed cargo, and other goods. You no need to provide us ANY documents, and we will send your goods to your Philippines warehouse or home. We also have the ability to do quick customs clearance in the Philippines. ( within one day if needed).

Cost of shipping container to Philippines from China will be very high if you not with JMS, we will provide you very competitive shipping cost especially for the door to door shipping to Philippines.

How Long When Shipping from China to Philippines(By Sea)

Sea Freight Rate from $250 per CBM

JMS provides sea freight rate from $250 every CBM depend on your goods details.

JMS can handle shipping even you have no import license

If you do not have an import permit, JMS can also ship your goods without any document.

No Need to Provide any Documents

You do not need to send us any document, just receive your goods at home, we will handle the left.

JMS Provide the Fastest way to Ship from China

Normally it will take 3 to 10 days by sea freight depend on your port. And 3 to 5 days by air freight.

Better Rate for Sea Freight from China to the Philippines

JMS will be your best freight forwarder China to Philippines. We can handle every shipment from China to the Philippines from any port in China to any port in the Philippines

Shipping from China to the Philippines: The Definitive Guide

When it comes to shipping from China to Philippines, there are a lot of problems you may face.

For example.

High freight costs, custom clearance delays, loading problems, improper shipping documentation and much more.

Frankly, they will cost you a substantial fortune.

The good news:

I want to show you how to save time and 37% of the shipping cost when importing from China to Philippines.

Chapter 1: JMS Freight Forwarders from China to the Philippines

JMS is a leading freight forwarding and logistics company in China.

It offers customers with one of the most efficient and timely freight shipping services.

JMS freight services are well streamlined to ensure hassle-free import from China to all of the Philippines’ archipelagos.

The best part;

The shipping services are backed by significant carriers and airlines with whom JMS is in partnership with.

This (contracts with top carriers) allows JMS to;

• Get discounted freight rates where a percentage of the discount is passed on to customers
• Facilitate shipping requests within the shortest time possible
• Transport imports from China to any part of the Philippines’ including Manila, Cebu, Pasig, Caloocan, etc.

As a customer, JMS’s network system allows you to ship from any part of China.

You can ship from Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Shanghai, etc. to the Philippines.

Also, note that JMS has been in the freight industry for over ten years.

This has helped it gain significant insight into the needs of clients.

As a result, JMS has been able to streamline its services and delivery process to suit those needs perfectly.

Note that professionals handle each of JMS’s shipping and logistics process.

And most importantly, JMS offers a wide range of services which include;

· The door to door delivery from China to Philippines

Want the door to door delivery service?

Well, don’t worry.

JMS can pick your container from the packing point and deliver it to a given location in the Philippines.

Door to door delivery: Photo courtesy

So, while this may cost a little extra, you won’t have to worry about anything.

JMS takes care of every stage of the shipping process from inland transportation, port clearances, etc.

For door to door service, JMS does everything while you focus on other things.

· FCL and LCL shipping from China to Philippines

JMS heed to the demand for more reliable and efficient shipping services.

As such, customers can now ship FCL or LCL containers depending on their cargo quantity or shipping needs.

For FCL shipments, JMS will ensure that goods are adequately packaged, loaded onto the container and transported safely.

LCL container shipping

JMS also takes care of consolidating shipments regarding LCL shipping.

So, whether you can fill up a standard shipping container or not, you shouldn’t worry.

JMS can ship it all however big or small.

· Customs clearance (one-day clearance)

We talked of problems you may face when shipping from China to the Philippines.

Well, here is one; customs clearance.

It is the hardest part when importing into the Philippines.

The good news?

JMS has you covered with a quick customs clearance service.

Yes!

Importers have been facing many challenges clearing their goods at Philippines ports.

Because of this, JMS has come up with a strategy that helps clear goods within one day.

Well, yes!

One day.

China Customs

Whether its sea freight, air freight or door to door delivery, JMS provides the quickest customs clearance service.

We know that complicated customs clearance processes are what lead to delays in shipping and importation processes.

Well, JMS’sone-day customs clearance strategy eliminates these delays.

It helps speed up all import processes and shipping lead times allowing for very import to get to its destinations on time.

You might wonder how JMS does this.

Well, JMS registers customers with the Bureau of Customs to help reduce any possible delays when clearing.

Also, through Philippine’s tax finder system, JMS helps customers to find the best import tariffs for their goods.

This way, you can calculate all payable duties and taxes when importing to the Philippines thus facilitating a faster clearance process.

Please note:

JMS has various offices in the Philippines.

Each of these offices helps to facilitate every stage of the one-day customs clearance process.

· Pickup and delivery

This service is more like the door to door service.

For this, you can hire JMS to pick up your goods from the supplier’s warehouse in any of China’s cities.

JMS will pick up the goods and deliver them to a location that you provide.

· Warehousing and distribution

This is the best service.

Why?

It is free.

Yes!

JMS offers free warehousing facilities to customers, for 20 to 30 days only.

Warehousing

Do not get over excited because distribution services come at a cost.

· Cargo insurance

JMS can help you get insurance for your goods from China.

Insurance, in this case, will ensure the safety of your goods from China all the way to the Philippines.

· Loading supervision

A lot could go wrong during the loading stage in China.

JMS can help ensure proper packaging and labelling of your goods before loading takes place.

Air cargo loading

We can also help to ensure that not a single item is stolen or damaged during the loading process.

In other words;

JMS will help ensure safe and proper loading of your goods in China.

So why should you choose JMS ?

Well, the ‘why’ is pretty evident?

First, JMS has a diverse infrastructure.

This should assure you that the company can handle and manage your goods excellently.

Secondly, JMS adheres to its professional commitment.

And, that is to facilitate hassle-free import from China to the Philippines.

Last but not least, our rates are very competitive.

You may or may not get a freight forwarder with rates like JMS’s.

The bottom line?

JMS offers some of the most competitive freight rates from China to the Philippines.

So if you are looking for a reliable and professional shipping partner from China to the Philippines – think of JMS China.

Chapter 2: Shipping from China to the Philippines Rules and Regulations

As I said, several problems accompany shipping from China to the Philippines.

A majority of these problems arise from the Philippines set rules and regulations on imports.

Well, here is everything you need to know about this.

2.1. Importation requirements in the Philippines

I’ll tell you what, importing into the Philippines can be easy and very profiting.

But, before we get to the point of enjoying profit and scaling up your business, you have to start at the Department of Finance Offices (DOF).

Yes.

Nowadays, you can’t just wake up and start bringing in goods into the Philippines without the necessary accreditation.

DOF

You have to register as an importer with the Bureau of customs.

And, before this registration, you have to meet the following requirements;

1. Have a physical business address

When I talk of address, I mean a physical location.

I understand that most people today are into online business.

Well, it’s okay.

But to qualify for certification as an importer in the Philippines you have to have a principal base of business, in the Philippines.

2. Comply fully with BIR registration

As I said, you need to start from the department of finance offices.

This includes the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

You need to get the bureau of internal revenue importers clearance certificate (BIR-ICC).

BIR

3. Have a clean tax compliance record

The DOF won’t allow you to ship in goods into the Philippines if you have cases of returns and payment of taxes.

Your record with regards to this has to be squeaky clean – have clear tax payment records.

Evading taxes won’t work in your favour when seeking accreditation for importing into the Philippines.

4. Be a regular user of the electronic filing and payment system.

Same would say this is selfish, but no, it isn’t

In this age where we are trying to embrace information technology, it is only fair if the government leads by example.

In this case, I would say; if you want to do business on Filipino grounds, show loyalty to its ground rules.

5. File your returns regularly

A complaint taxpayer ought to be filing their tax returns as and when needed.

This will show good standing when seeking certification from most financial bodies including the DOF, and BIR.

Now,

When you are sure you meet all of the above requirements, and the BIR can prove that.

You can proceed to register as an importer.

Here, you will first get a BIR import clearance certificate.

After which you’ll go ahead and register with the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

BOC

When at this, don’t forget to set up an account with the Client Profile Registration System (CPRS).

This will cost you about 20 USD $.

Please note:

The import clearance certificate expires in three years upon issuance.

You MUST update your CPRS account on an annual basis.

What a process?

Well, it is all worth it in the end- if all goes well.

Just remember that every government must ensure that items coming into the country is safe.

As such, a thorough background check in the form of the processes above has to be done.

And by the way, that’s not all regarding rules and regulations for importing into the Philippines.

There’s more, so keep reading.

2.2. Restrictions when importing to the Philippines

The Philippines enjoys a stable trade connection with China.

This is all thanks to the ASEAN trade agreement between the Philippines and China.

ASEAN

However, the importation of certain commodities is regulated or prohibited for several reasons.

These include;

• public safety
• national security
• international commitments
• development of the local Filipino industry

So what can you bring or not bring into the Philippines from China?

Well, the Philippines authorities classify imports into several categories.

There are;

· Freely importable commodities

These are goods that are neither restricted nor prohibited for importation into the Philippines.

For these kinds of goods, you can freely import them without needing the government’s approval.

You don’t need a permit to bring in these kinds of goods into the Philippines.

· Regulated goods

Regulated goods according to customs rules and regulations are those that require permits or clearances.

You cannot just bring in these goods into the Philippines without the approval of the relevant bodies.

The items, in this case, include live animals, firearms, oil and petroleum products, medicines, plants, currency, chemicals, and meat.

· Prohibited Goods

There are goods that you absolutely can’t bring in to the Philippines.

It doesn’t matter whether you have an import license/permit.

You can’t import the following goods into the Philippines as they are prohibited entirely.

Second-hand clothes, objectionable publications, right-hand drive vehicles, precious metals, seeds, guns, explosives, and counterfeit goods.

So you want to send goods into the Philippines?

Well, ascertain that the goods comply with the set standards and regulations.

Philippines customs

Furthermore, you have to ensure that the goods you are importing have the proper labelling and packaging.

For instance, Philippines importation regulations require that all consumer imports contain the following information on their labels.

• Correct brand name
• Registered trademark
• Registered name and address of the manufacturer, importer, or the repacker
• List of ingredients (active)
• Net quality of contents
• Country of origin

If packages do not adhere to these requirements chances are customs won’t allow their entry into the Philippines.

You can learn more about these here:

• Prohibited and Restricted Imports in Philippines
• List of Prohibited and Regulated Products
• Bureau of Customs Guidelines

2.3. Documents you Need When Shipping from China to the Philippines

You know the requirements and restrictions when importing from China.

But;

What about documentation?

Shipping from China to Philippines

What paperwork is needed to ship from China to the Philippines successfully?

Well, you will need to provide the following documents;

1. Packing list

A packing list, in this case, is a logistical document that details all the items that are in a shipment.

This list shows all the packaging dimensions, weight including handling details among other things.

The packing list is a vital document in freight shipping.

It contains information about the shipment that is vital in making customs clearances relatively easy.

How?

With the packing list, it is easy for customs to verify the contents of a shipment.

This way, they spend little time on item verification and even less clearing the goods for entry to the Philippines.

Besides verification, a packing list often also comes in handy in cases where inspection is essential.

Also, as an importer, the packing list helps you to compare the goods you ordered vs what has been shipped – both in quality and quantity.

For ocean shipping, the packing list is also crucial as it is often used to issue a bill of lading – an essential sea freight document that we’ll discuss later in this section.

2. Commercial invoice

A commercial invoice is a document that acts as a bill of sale between buyer and seller.

The supplier issues this document once an order is ready.

The buyer, in this case, uses this document to make payment for the order before they can assume ownership of the goods.

Commercial invoice

A commercial invoice, note, details in-depth all terms of sale between a seller and buyer.

This information is usually essential.

And, the customs clearance team at both port of origin and entry will need it to clear goods for shipping and entry.

Please note:

A commercial invoice is not a standard document.

You and your supplier can prepare it in whatever way as long as it conforms to regular shipping practices.

It has to follow the terms agreed upon the sale of goods.

It also has to include the following details;

•  the name and address of buyer and seller
• Customer purchase order number
• Date of purchase
• Method of payment
• Terms of sale, i.e., FOB, CNF, FAS
• Transaction currency
• Bill of lading/airway bill number
• Package dimensions, weight, marks and measures
• Origin and destination ports

All this may look too much.

Nonetheless, this information is critical as it is what will help facilitate easy movement of your goods from one point to the other.

It will also help get customs to clear your goods faster.

So when your supplier issues you with a commercial invoice make a copy of the document and submits the original.

P/S retaining a copy is essential in case the unfortunate happens.

3. Bill of lading or airway bill

The good thing about shipping from China to the Philippines is that there are several options for this.

You can ship by sea or by air.

This is depending on how fast you want your goods in the Philippines and how much you are willing to spend the same.

Either way, a bill of lading is very crucial.

Bill of lading

In ocean shipping, it is known as an ocean bill of lading whereas air freight terms it as an airway bill.

The bill of lading in ocean shipping acts both as a receipt of cargo and a shipping agreement between you and the carrier.

This document also acts as proof of ownership; accordingly, if in negotiable form.

This means that it can be bought, sold or traded while the goods are still in transit.

The airway bill on the hand (if using air freight) serves as a through bill of lading.

This covers air transportation from an airport in China to one in the Philippines.

The airway bill number which is critical in air shipping documentation will be issued to you by the airline transporting your goods.

Note that both the airway bill and ocean bill of lading serves the same functions.

However, the former is only issued in the non-negotiable form.

This means that you cannot sell, trade or transfer it when goods are in transit.

4. Import Permit

An import permit is also known as an import license.

It is a document issued allowing one to bring certain goods into a country.

The Philippines government issues the import permit in this case.

If you’ve been keen, we mentioned earlier in this section that you must have an import permit to be able to import anything into the Philippines.

Refer to section 2.1 of this chapter.

5. Customs Import Declaration

When importing into the Philippines, you’ll need to present a customs import declaration form to the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

The importance of this document is to declare to the BOC what goods you are bringing into the country.

And, it is particularly important since the Philippines import regulations include quotas, customs duties, and taxes.

Customs Declaration

It also includes restrictions on the importation of certain goods.

As such, declaring what goods you are bringing in to the Philippines is essential for easy approval of their entry.

This document, note, is also used to calculate import tariffs and duties.

6. Certificate of Origin

A certificate of origin (C/O) is a document that details the country of origin of an imported product.

In this case, it indicates the manufacturing, production, or processing location of a product.

Think of it as a document that indicates where a product is born.

Makes sense?

Don’t worry as long as you get the point.

On import shipments in the Philippines, the certificate of origin is essential for various reasons.

One, it entitles an importer to preferential duty program as per the ASEAN trade agreement.

This is in the case of a preferential certificate of origin.

Certificate of origin

If it is an ordinary C/O, it only certifies the origin country of imports.

It doesn’t, however, entitle you to preferential duty.

Two, the certificate of origin is essential as it often helps to determine the rate of duty.

Three helps to determine if genuinely goods can be imported into the Philippines.

Four helps to distinguish your products from the competition.

Five, it allows for easy transportation of goods from one country to the other as well as for easy customs clearance.

Well, that’s about how important a country of origin certificate is when shipping from China to the Philippines.

Note however that if you ever misrepresent or give incorrect information in a certificate of origin, you risk the following;

• Being slapped with a penalty
• Rejection or seizure of goods by customs

So, do your due diligence when filling out a country of origin certificate.

You wouldn’t want the worst to happen when you are at the final stage of importation.

7. Certificate of product registration

This document is essential for importers bringing in food and drug items into the Philippines.

The certificate is issued by the Philippines food and drugs administration body.

You can learn more about Philippines Import Requirements and Documentation.

Chapter 3: Air Freight from China to the Philippines

In the international freight industry, air freight is known as the faster means and mode of cargo transportation.

It is the most viable option in cases where speedy delivery and shorter transit times are a concern.

So what about air shipping to the Philippines?

Well, as I have said, air shipping is faster.

It is the fastest way to transport your goods from a city in China to a Philippines archipelago.

Besides being fast, air shipping is also reliable, safe and well, a little pricey.

Luckily, there are several airports in China and the Philippines through which you can ship your goods from and to.

Let’s get to know some of these airports.

3.1 Main airports in China to the Philippines

When it comes to air shipping from China, you want to make sure that you are shipping from one of the best airports.

Most importers, in this case, concern themselves with amenities that are found in a cargo plane.

However, when you find that your cargo is stuck in the airport due to bad weather or the likes, your story might change.

If your cargo is going to be trapped or delayed at least let it do so in an airport that can guarantee you their safekeeping.

That said, here are the main airports in China to the Philippines;

· Beijing International Airport (PEK)

The Beijing International Airport has rapidly raised the ranks to become one of busiest cargo airports in Asia.

Note that this airport began operations in the year 1958 as a single terminal building used for commercial charter flights only.

And today, PEK is a host to some of the world’s largest carriers.

These include Xiamen Air, Southern China Air, China Eastern, Hainan Airlines and Sichuan.

Beijing International Airport

I would also like to note that the customs operations at the Beijing International Airport are quite thorough.

Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that you’ll experience delays when shipping from this airport.

Although through and busy, clearance here takes place in a reasonable amount of time.

· Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)

The Shanghai International Airport has everything that would expect of the world’s 3^rd busiest airport regarding cargo throughput.

PVG has a cargo handling capacity of about six million tons of freight.

Just how massive is this?

The airport has several transport systems linking it to various parts of the city and its environs.

PVG

The Shanghai Metro line 2 for instance, connects PVG to 13 of Shanghai’s municipal districts.

It also links to Huaqiao town in Jiangsu province.

There is also the Shanghai maglev train that connects the Shanghai International Airport station and the Pudong railway extension.

All these provide for smooth movement of cargo to and from the airport.

· Chengdu Shuangilu International Airport (CTU)

Formerly known as Shuangguisi Airport, the Chengdu International Airport has a tremendous effect on international freight.

The airport started off as a military airfield with a runaway only large enough for biplanes.

CTU

But today’s CTU has grown to be able to offer freight shipping services to regional and international destinations.

The airport serves cargo planes shipping to destinations all over the world including most of the Philippines archipelagos.

CTU was named China’s 5^th busiest airport regarding cargo throughput in 2013.

· Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN)

The Xiamen Airport is one of the largest airports in China, and it is also Xiamen Air’s home.

In 2012 alone, the airport was named the eight business in China regarding cargo traffic having handled 271,465.8 tons of cargo.

XMN

In 2017, Xiamen airport received 338,655.7 tons of freight.

The airport lies on the northern side of Xiamen Island.

· QuanzhouJinjiang International Airport (JJN)

This airport lies in the city of Jinjiang and is 12 km south of the city centre.

The airport is both a military and public transpiration facility, and it serves Quanzhou in Fujian province of China.

JJN

Also, JJN hosts some airlines among them the Philippine airlines.

· Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

HKG is one of the world’s busiest airport regarding cargo traffic.

It competes yearly with the likes of US’s Memphis International Airport for this spot.

The two terminals of this airport make it easy for the airport to move a large volume of freight.

HKG

The airport being the world’s busiest cargo gateway is home to some popular China-Philippines cargo airlines.

These include; TriMG intra-Asia airline, Mask Argo airline and China airlines cargo which operates from China to Manila.

· Macau International Airport (MFM)

This airport lies in Macau (in the western region of the Pearl River delta).

MFM

It hosts MASkargo which transports cargo from China to parts of Southeast Asia including the Philippines.

3.2 Main airports in the Philippines

So you know from which airports you’ll be shipping your goods from China.

Now here is a list of airports that you can ship to when importing from China to the Philippines.

These are the entry ports or in logistical terms, the destination airports.

· Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport popularly known as the Manila Airport is the main gateway for international flights to the Philippines.

It is also the central hub for airlines operating in the Philippines.

The airport has four terminals that span two cities on the south side of Manila metropolitan area.

MNL

The exact location of this airport is close to the border between Paranaque and Pasay.

To the southwest of Makati, the airport lies about 7km away.

· Clark International Airport (CRK)

Clark international airport which goes by IATA code CRK is a busy airport in the northwest region of Philippines capital, Manila.

The airport itself lies in Pampanga province and is accessible through Subic-Clark expressway.

CRK

The CRK airport is also a hub for major cargo airlines in the region.

These include; FedEx Express, UPS, Tri-MG intra-Asia airlines, Yangtze River express, Atlas air, and air bridge cargo airlines.

Note, that the Clark airport started out as a special economic zone in 1993.

Today, however, the airport is a bustling facility complete with high tech amenities and infrastructure.

· Laoag International Airport (LAO)

Laoag International Airport is one of the busiest and largest international airports in the Philippines.

It lies in Barangay, LaoagCity, and Ilocos Norte, Philippines and serves the general are of Laoag.

LAO

Geographically, LAO is said to be the northernmost international airport in the Philippines.

It is also the only airport in Ilocos Norte.

· Kalibo International Airport

Kalibo International Airport is operated by the civil aviation authority of the Philippines.

It is the same body operating all major international airports in the country.

Kalibo International Airport

The airport is a hub for major carriers in the region including Cebu Pacific and Philippines air Asia.

Other airlines operating in here include Xiamen air, Sichuan Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and China airlines.

· Iloilo International Airport (ILO)

Lies in Cabatuan, Iloilo province, ILO ranks as the 4^th busiest airport in all of the Philippines archipelagos.

Iloilo International Airport sits on a 460 acre of land that is spread across Barangays Tabucan, Tiring, Gaub, Duyan-Duyan, andManguna.

 ILO

The single runaway airport has two terminals, administrative amenities, water treatment facilities, and a power generating station.

The cargo terminal covers 1282 m² of land and is designed to handle about 11,500 metric tons of cargo annual.

· Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB)

CEB is the 2^nd busiest international airport in the Philippines by all merits.

It is also the lifeline of FedEx express and Tri MG intra-Asia airlines operating flights between China and the Philippines.

CEB

The airport’s single runaway serves all flights including taxis navigating through the airport.

This airport, note, lies in Lapu-Lapu city of Mactan in the Visayas region, Philippines.

3.3 China to the Philippines Shipping Time by Air

Well, now you which airports you can use to move goods from China to the Philippines by air.

But do you know how long it’ll take for you actually to receive the goods in the Philippines?

Here is something you should know about shipping times; they are not all-inclusive.

They also comprise of the time your package is in transit in this case in the air.

Philippines Air

Luckily, the Philippines is not too far from China.

So, the time taken to deliver packages from China to Philippine is less.

Transit times also vary depending on which city in China you’re importing your goods from and to which location in the Philippines.

Note also, that there are various processes at different endpoints of the journey, i.e., customs clearances, inspection, etc.

So depending on these, the duration it takes to receive your imports from China may vary.

Averagely, however, shipping from China to the Philippines by air take 3-5 days.

Chapter 4: Sea Freight from China to the Philippines

As I said before, there are two main modes of shipping from China to the Philippines.

We’ve discussed air shipping in chapter 3 above.

In that discussion, however, I forgot to mention that air shipping is only best if you are shipping smaller loads of goods.

Less than 500 cbm of goods is okay to ship by air. It won’t be as costly.

Also, perishable goods are best shipped using the fastest means of transport, which is air.

Now, in the importation business, you know that you won’t be restricted to shipping a certain amount or type of goods.

The market demands tend to change.

And, the more you do this business, the more business ideas and opportunities you stumble upon.

Evergreen Shipping Company

Sooner or later, you will want to ship heavier items.

Or, you may want to increase the number of goods you ship to 10 times or even more.

Now, the thing is shipping heavy and large items internationally can be quite costly.

You may choose to work with the cheapest shipping company and carrier but still end up paying hefty freight amounts.

But then, what happens if you have a limited budget?

Or, if you are want to ship more cost efficiently?

Well, it can be hard in the freight industry, but my advice, in this case, would be to ship by sea.

It is more convenient to ship heavy/large packages by sea than it is by air.

Besides, it is also cheaper or should I say cost efficient.

Let me tell you something.

You can ship just about anything by sea without weighing down your pocket.

So, you may want to ship furniture pieces to the Philippines or a large volume of electronic equipment.

In this case, all you need to do is to ensure that you meet sea freight shipping minimum weight and cost requirements.

That’s all.

Once you are sure you meet these two things, you are good to go.

The good thing about sea freight is that it is very cost efficient.

Cost efficiency is the number one advantage of sea shipping.

Sea shipping costs per pound are very minimal compared to air freight charges.

You can ship a full container of electronic equipment for instance, for several hundred dollars.

That is just one good part of sea shipping.

Another one is that you can ship relatively large quantities of goods without having to worry about a thing.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a whole container or two or more of goods.

You can ship them all and be sure that your goods will arrive in the Philippines on time and in perfect condition.

You see, ships can carry thousands of container from destination to destination.

So regardless of how much you want to ship to the Philippines, know that there’s always going to plenty for them.

The bottom line here is that sea shipping is an ideal way to save on shipping costs and enjoy peace of mind.

It gets even better if you use a reliable and reputable sea freight shipping service.

And more when you know which ports your goods may be shipped from and to.

Have a look below.

4.1 Main seaports in China to the Philippines

When shipping goods from China to the Philippines, there several ports from where the products can be shipped.

Qingdao sea port

These include;

• Hong Kong seaport
• Port of Shenzhen
• Port of Ningbo
• Xiamen seaport
• Qingdao seaport
• Taipei seaport
• Shantou seaport
• Port of Zhanjiang
• Port of Guangzhou and many more

4.2. Main seaports in the Philippines

And, to which ports can the items be delivered in the Philippines.

Well, ports that receive items from China in the Philippines are a number.

This is because the Philippines is comprised of several islands.

Nonetheless, here are the main ports to which your packages from China can be delivered to;

1. Manila seaport

Situated in the metropolitan area of Manila, the seaport of Manila is the Philippines largest and busiest seaport regarding cargo throughput.

If you are importing large volumes of goods from China, the port of Manila is possibly where your products will ship to.

Port of Manila

With this port, you don’t have to worry about where in the Philippines your goods are to be distributed.

Manila seaport is strategically lain to provide for the easy distribution of your products to any part of the Philippines.

This seaport note handled an estimated 34.3 million tons of cargo in 2012 alone.

Today, it has a cargo handling capacity of over 3.5 million TEUs.

Manila seaport is the popular seaport in the Philippines and the most commonly used for international shipments.

2. Cebu seaport

Is your business lies in Cebu city?

Well, if it is the better because the port of Cebu is one that will be bet viable to send your goods from China to.

Cebu sea port

This port which lies in Philippines’ fastest growing economic hubs will help you save big on transport costs.

Why?

It is easily accessible from inside and outside of the Philippines.

So when importing goods from China to the Philippines, let not time and cost be an issue since there are plenty of vessels sailing in and out of the Cebu port.

3. Iloilo seaport

The port of Iloilo lies in the province of Iloilo, Philippines.

It serves both the provinces of Iloilo and the entire region of Panay Island which is in the western Philippines.

Port of Iloilo

So, if your distribution zones are within the areas above, Iloilo seaport would be a good destination port when shipping from China.

The good thing about the port, you would love to know, is that it lies on Philippines safest and most natural harbours.

Moreover, it close to the island of Guimaras which helps shield it from violent storms.

4. Subic port

Subic port is oldest seaport in the Philippines and one with the richest history.

It started out as a base for military operations.

Subic Port

Now, the port of Subic has grown to become the largest and busiest seaports of the Philippines.

Subic seaport handles the equivalent of 600,000 twenty foot container each year.

It also provides some of the deepest water close to the open sea of any Philippines port.

5. Batangas seaport

Batangas is one of the Philippines largest and busiest seaports that continue to facilitate sea transport in the Philippines.

The port lies in Barangay Santa Clara, Batangas city.

This is about 114 kilometres south of Manila.

Well,

Other seaports can be used to receive goods from China in the Philippines.

Batangas Sea Port

However, most of these ports will have goods shipped directly from China to them (like Jagna seaport).

Using these ports as your destination ports may, therefore, lead to extra shipping and extended transit times.

My advice to you is to use the approved international seaports.

This way, you can ship more efficiently and economically.

4.3. How Long does it Take to Ship from China to the Philippines by Sea

I mentioned earlier in this article that shipping time is never all-inclusive.

Whether air or sea shipping.

When talking about transit time in this case, it is only the duration your package is on the sea.

And, this varies immensely.

The time taken to ship goods from the port of Guangzhou to Cebu port in the Philippines will vary greatly with that from Shenzhen to the same port.

Now, since most goods from China are shipped to Manila;

Here is a showing the estimative transit times from different ports in China to Manila.

From seaport in China	Shipping time to Manila (no of days)	Distance (in nautical miles)
port of Shanghai	5.1	1225
Port of Shenzhen	3.8	906
Port of Guangzhou	4.0	956
Port of Xiamen	3.2	778
Port of Hong Kong	3.7	886
Port of Ningbo	4.9	1173
Port of Qingdao	6.6	1577
Port of Shantou	3.2	774

So averagely, shipping from China to the Philippines by sea may take approximately 3 to 7 days.

4.4. FCL shipping from China to the Philippines

In the sea freight shipping, container shipping is most popular.

In this case, you will often come across the terms like FCL and LCL when shipping by sea from China to any part of the world.

Now, FCL shipping, in this case, means shipping a full container load.

Yes, FCL stands for Full Container Load.

So if you are shipping FCL, it means that your package is large enough to fill up a whole standard container, whether 20 GP or 40 GP/HQ.

In this case, only your items will be shipped in that container as they are enough to fill it.

Maersk Line

You won’t share the container space with other shippers as it is in the case of LCL which we will discuss after this.

So, while FCL means full container load, it doesn’t mean that you must fill up the entire container space.

You can ship FCL even if you can’t fill up a standard container.

How?

Well, all you have to do is have the money to pay for the space remaining in your container.

In other words, you may fill part of the container and still cover the cost of the space remaining

This will mean that you’ve bought the whole shipping space and can thus ship on FCL terms.

I’ll tell you a few things with regards to FCL shipping.

First of all, it is less costly to ship FCL because it eliminates all cost associated with handling and consolidation of cargo.

Secondly, you can ship FCL as long as you can afford the entire space of a standard shipping container.

This means that you can ship in a 20 GP, 40 GP or 40 HQ container.

With FCL shipping, you may ship in a 20-foot container, 40-foot container, or 40-foot high cube container.

Thirdly, FCL shipping is mostly done from door to port.

You, however, can ship from port to port or even door to door depending on your preference.

Is that all?

No.

Packaging is critical in FCL shipping.

Efficient packing and loading can help you cut on shipping cost by a significant margin.

You may choose to hire the services of an expert packer to handle all of your needs in this case.

Now, let’s take a look at LCL shipping.

4.5. LCL shipping from China to the Philippines

LCL means less than container load.

Unlike FCL, LCL shipping allows you to use part of a container and not have to pay for empty spaces.

In this case, your shipment is consolidated with those of other shippers to fill up the container.

Please note: cargo ships cannot leave with half-empty containers unless the spaces have been paidfor.

So, if you can’t afford the entire space of a container, you’ll have to consolidate your goods with others’ to fill it up.

LCL Shipping – Photo Courtesy: Clear Your Customs Here

When this happens, your freight cost will be calculated based on the volume and weight of your shipment.

You will only be charged for space your shipment occupies in the container.

So, anytime you want to ship LCL, ensure that you calculate your LCL volume before booking.

This is often used in providing freight quotes.

Now, here is the downside to LCL shipping;

Damage and loss of goods.

When you fail to pack your goods properly, they may get damaged during loading and unloading.

As such, ensure that your pack your goods properly for safe LCL shipping from China to the Philippines.

4.6. Door to Door Delivery from China to the Philippines

Door to door delivery is part of the services offered by freight forwarders operating shipping from China to the Philippines.

This service involves picking up goods from a given location and delivering them to another.

It is done as per the instructions of the shipper.

Door to door delivery works a little differently from the port to port delivery.

In this case, shipping begins and ends at the designated locations covered by the freight forwarder.

So, if you want to ship from China to the Philippines via the door to door delivery, JMS can help you do this more efficiently.

Our services help eliminate all the costly middlemen.

We also provide you with an easy tracking mechanism for your shipment.

Door to door delivery –Photo courtesy FedEx

JMS provides door to door delivery to and from various destinations across China and the Philippines.

You don’t have to worry about what type of shipment it is you want to move.

Whether FCL or LCL we can pick it up at from and deliver it to a destination that you give us.

So, what does this service entail?

For starters, door to door delivery includes all the steps of cargo shipping from origin to destination.

It begins with the picking up of goods from an address you provide to a port in China where they will be shipped from (origin port).

The goods will then be transported from the port of origin, i.e. Shanghai to your destination port in the Philippines, i.e. manila.

When goods arrive at the destination port in the Philippines, clearing with customs commences.

Note that we (freight forwarders) will do the clearing both at the port of origin and destination.

Once goods are cleared, we will ship your cargo from the destination port to a final address in the Philippines, which you’ll provide.

In sea freight shipping, you can either have an FCL or LCL shipment delivered from door to door.

You are limited in this case.

Chapter 5: International Express Shipping from China to the Philippines

At this point, I bet you’ve realised that shipping from China to the Philippines is not as hard as you first thought.

The best part of this is that there are so many ways to do it.

You can ship by sea as FCL or LCL, you can use the door to door delivery, and you can send by standard air freight means.

You can also go the international express shipping way.

Say what?

Yes, international express.

I’ll be 100% honest with you on this.

International express shipping is the most convenient and fastest way of having your goods delivered from China to the Philippines.

Air freight vs. ocean freight from China to Philippines

You see, good business is bound to grow at some point in time.

If it stays stagnant, then you aren’t doing good business.

There will come a time when you will want to edge ahead of rivals in your market.

In this case, you’ll need to explore various ways to improve your delivery and make your business stand out.

Now, when it comes to importing products from China, importance shifts to safe and timely shipping.

There are times when you will want to ship large and not so urgent, and small but very urgent packages.

In the latter’s case, you will want to use a shipping service that will help you minimise transport costs and shipping woes.

More importantly, you will want a shipping service that can deliver your urgent packages as fast as possible.

In this regard, you can resort to international express shipping.

Express shipping is a type of air shipping where delivery tends to be quicker than the standard air freight means.

We are talking overnight, and 2-3 days delivery periods.

Yes!

It’s that fast.

The only problem is that you can only use express shipping for smaller packages, less than one cubic meter or 200 kgs.

Anything more than that will be very costly.

Well, unless it is a high-value package that you don’t mind spending that extra dollar on.

FedEx Express Shipping from China to Philippines

Talking about costs;

Express shipping costs quite a bit.

The reason for this is primarily due to demand and other external factors where certaincut-offs have to be met.

In other cases, express shipping may be your only way of getting your goods to a location in the Philippines on time.

In this case, you’ll have to incur the extra costs.

My advice therefore is;

If you want to move a lot of heavy goods, consider more affordable shipping methods like sea shipping.

So who offers international express shipping?

China to the Philippines market has a plethora of express shipping companies.

FedEx, UPS and DHL are the worldwide known masters of express shipping.

DHL Philippines

They offer superbly streamlined express shipping services to and from various destinations in the market above.

These companies offer you international standards express shipping services.

With these, you are 100% guaranteed of the safe and efficient delivery of your packages.

No matter whether you need to send valuable documents, or jewellery, these companies’ services can take care of your goods correctly.

International express shipping companies can offer you comprehensive shipping packages.

This includes the collection of cargo, timely shipment and delivery.

You can choose from an array of shipping options including:

• Door-to-door
• Port-to-port
• Door-to-port.

They have offices and agents in most locations in China and the Philippines.

This means that you won’t have to get involved at any stage of the shipping process.

The companies’ well-trained staff will ensure your goods are adequately packaged to minimise any prospect of damage in transit.

From packaging to delivery, everything is done by the shipping company staff with strict adherence to industry norms.

The best part:

These companies give you provisions to keep tabs on the status of your packages including their location.

Plus, you don’t have to worry about the loss of your high-value packages.

Express shipping minimises this risk as they offer worthy insurance covers for items shipped.

Customs clearance is also something that international express shippers handle so well and quickly.

They are unlike sea and standard air freight shipping where you may face hassles clearing your products with customs.

Express shippers are proficient in managing customs clearances and documentation processing.

They have well-trained agents who provide expedited customs clearance options so that goods can be delivered to you quickly.

The bottom line;

Although expensive, international express shipping is a good option when you need to ship valuable goods within a tight time span.

Chapter 6: Shipping Companies from China to the Philippines

Just as there are many ways to ship from China to the Philippines, there are also plenty of shipping companies.

These include;

Sea Shipping Companies

ZIM

Some of these companies include:

· ZIM

ZIM integrated shipping companies is a worldwide known shipping company.

It ranks among the top 20 ocean shipping companies in the world.

Although it has its headquarters in Haifa, Israel, ZIM operates over 170 offices in more than 100 countries in the world.

It also has about four regional offices including one in Hong Kong.

For shipping services, ZIM specialises in container shipping and reefer cargo.

It also provides logistics services to its clientele.

· COSCO

COSCO is a leading Chinese shipping company headquartered at Ocean Plaza, Xicheng district, Beijing.

The company whose full names are China ocean shipping company ranks 4^th among global carriers.

It has over 1114 vessels with a capacity of 1.58 million TEUs calling over 1000 ports worldwide.

· MSC

The Mediterranean shipping company is a private company ranked 2^ndlargest in the world, regarding container vessels.

The company was founded in 1970 in Naples Italy.

It currently operates over 450 container vessels with a capacity of 2.4 million TEUs.

MSC employs over 25,000 workers in more than 480 offices worldwide.

It calls over 200 trade ports in the world including the seaport of Manila.

Air freight companies (airlines)

Below are some of the most popular air cargo between China and China.

· Philippines airlines

Philippines international airlines was once one of the largest airlines in Asia.

Unfortunately, due to a financial crisis that hit the region in 1997, the company significantly cut off its international operations.

It had to downsize its fleet size and lay off thousands of employees.

Luckily, it survived the storm, and today it continues to offer freights services to over 41 destinations across Asia, Europe and America.

Note that the airline’s primary hub lies at the Ninoy Aquino international airport.

Secondary hubs include one at the Clark international airport and another one at the Mactan-Cebu airport.

· China southern cargo

This is the cargo subsidiary of China Southern Airlines, one of the leading airlines in the Republic of China.

The airline operates about 550 aircraft including cargo to destinations across Europe, America, Africa, and Asia.

· MASkargo

MASkargo is a cargo subsidiary of Malaysia’s, Malaysia airlines.

It was founded in 1972.

MASkargo currently operates about three cargo flights to 11 destinations including to Manila via the Ninoy Aquino international airport.

· Tri-MG Intra Asia

Tri MG was founded in 1990.

It is a cargo airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia.

It ships cargo from China via the Hong Kong international airports to Cebu and Clark international airports.

· China Airlines cargo

This is the cargo operations division of China airlines.

It is headquartered in Taoyuan international airport in Taiwan.

The airline operates 18 freight planes to over 33 destinations across Asia, Europe, and America.

In the Philippines, it operates to and from Manila.

Express shipping companies

Below are a few express shipping companies from China to Philippines.

Express shipping from China

· FedEx

FedEx in an American courier company that provides express shipping across global destinations.

The company was founded in 1971 as Federal express corporations.

Interestingly, it is the pioneer of the cargo tracking services which is now offered by most carriers globally.

Its headquarters is in Memphis, USA but it has regional offices all over the world including in China.

· UPS

United parcel services (UPS) ranks among the top three courier shipping companies in the world.

It competes closely with FedEx.

Please note that UPS is not just a courier company.

It is a multinational package company with its airline, UPS airlines.

The airline has its head offices in Louisville, Kentucky USA.

It also has regional hubs in various locations around the world including mainland China and Hong Kong.

· DHL express

DHL has a very inspiring history.

It started out as a small business operated by a fresh law graduate and his colleague in the US.

The company through hard work and determination grew to become one of the world’s largest and busiest express logistics company.

Although founded in the US in 1969, DHL express is now wholly owned and operated by Deutsche Post DHL.

DHL has its head offices in Bonn, Germany.

It also has other offices including an Asia-pacific office in Hong Kong and mainland China.

· TNT

TNT Express is a company that offer express and freight delivery services across, Europe, Asia-pacific, America, Middle East, and Africa.

The company was independently founded in 2011 but was later bought out by FedEx in 2015-2016.

Today, TNT operates as a subsidiary FedEx express, its then stiff competition.

Chapter 7: Cost of Shipping from China to the Philippines

A larger percentage of goods imported into the Philippines from China travel by either sea or air.

Sea freight accounts for a majority of this percentage.

This is because of the high cost of air shipping and limitations as to how much goods one can ship by air.

However,

Regardless of the number of goods, you can ship to the Philippines; there are a quite a few costs that need to be taken into account.

Ocean freight

This is to help you, and the shipping company estimate the total shipping cost from China to the Philippines.

Charges such as broker fees, terminal handling fees, and packaging and container fees play a part in the total cost of shipping.

In detail, let us look at what entails the cost of shipping from China to any of the Philippines archipelagos.

7.1. The Philippines Import Duty and Taxes

Well, this is the most challenging part of shipping from china to the Philippines.

Determining and paying the import duties and taxes to help clear your goods for entry can be quite a hassle.

If you don’t have the right documentation and doesn’t have a reliable customs broker by your side, this process can jeopardise your whole importation business.

Bearing this in mind, it is best to hire a professional China to the Philippines customs broker.

He/she will help you with the customs clearance process.

That said, what is it about import duty and taxes in the Philippines?

Firstly, all imports into the Philippines are subject to duty and taxes.

This is not new as it is a practice in every part of the world.

Philippines Import Duties

For one to bring in products from another country, they have to pay importation duty and taxes.

Although these may vary, at least every country has an applicable tariff for which importers must pay.

Now,

In the Philippines, import tariff is applicable for goods whose worth is above USD 200, which is about P10, 000.

Goods whose worth is less than USD 200 are duty-free.

This means that you won’t have to pay duty for them to be allowed entry into the Philippines.

They are however not exempted from other taxes.

Note that the standard duty rates for imports in the Philippines vary from 0% to 65% according to the product.

The average duty rate stands at 10.5%.

Besides the set tariff percentage, there are other customs charges that you may incur.

These include;

• Sales tax; this applies to all imports regardless of worth.

Please note; sales tax is what is commonly known as VAT in most other countries.

In the Philippines, sales tax is appliedto 12% of the total value of imports.

• Excise tax; the importation of certain goods in the Philippines will attract an excise tax charge.

Such goods include tobacco, alcohol, petroleum products, mineral products, automobiles, perfume, jewellery, toilet waters etc.

Unlike the sales tax, excise duty is payable at varying rates.

• Bulk and break bulk cargo fees; surprising huh!

Well, this is also a charge that you may accrue when importing goods from China to the Philippines.

The purpose of this fee is not to collect more revenue but rather to enhance the customs clearance program.

The bulk and break bulk cargo fees as the name implies is only applicable for goods in this category.

These include; liquids, chemicals, petroleum products, grains and all dry bulk cargoes, wood, steel etc.

These are the applied duties and taxes for imports in the Philippines.

So how are they calculated?

Find out below.

7.2. How to Calculate Import Duties and Taxes in the Philippines

Import duties and taxes in the Philippines are calculated solely based on the shipment value (CIF shipping incoterms).

The shipment value is all inclusive of cost of goods, freight charges, insurance and other surcharges.

This means that upon arrival of goods from China, you have to calculate the value of your products based on the above factors and present it to customs.

Customs will then use this to apply tariff charges for your imports.

This, therefore, means that you have to be accurate and precise when calculating the value of your goods.

Here is an example of an import duty tax calculator:

Philippines import duty calculator

For more information about this calculator, go to: Philippines Tax Calculator (Informal Entry Express Shipment).

If you give an incorrect value, the chances are that customs may seize your goods, penal you or refuse the entry of the products into the Philippines.

Well, to calculate your applicable tariff cost; use the facts below;

    i. Duty rate 0%-65%

   ii. Average duty 10.5%

  iii. Sales tax 12%

  iv. Threshold USD 200

Such that;

If the value of your goods is USD 1000 and your import duty rate is 5% then your payable duty and taxes will be;

Duty rate 5% x USD $1000 = USD $50

Sales tax 12% x (USD $1000 + USD $50)

= USD $126

Therefore, your total import duty and taxes will be

USD $126 + USD $50

= USD $176

Please note ;

Before the ASEAN agreement between China and the Philippines, importing goods between these two regions was not easy.

But after, things became a little bearable as the agreement led to the removal of tariff charges on most goods imported from ASEAN partners, in this case, China.

Note, however; goods which are also produced locally (in the Philippines) will attract substantialtariff rates when brought in from other countries.

You may wonder why?

Well, a government has to protect its local sectors.

So if one wants to bring competing products, you will have to bear the cost which in this case is higher customs rates.

7.3 How to Reduce the Cost of Shipping from China to the Philippines

Are the figures above discouraging you?

Well, it is only practical to worry about the possible high customs rates you may have to pay to ship to the Philippines.

Loading at Port of Shanghai

It is even scarier when you know that the amount of money you could pay in taxes could total almost half the value of your goods.

Well, to be honest, international shipping can be profitable.

Very profitable for that matter.

However, it can also be a challenge considering the costs involved.

With the raging economic downtimes, it is only practical to be concerned about how much you could spend doing business.

You need to ensure that importing products will indeed be profitable.

After all, that’s the bottom line of doing business.

Why would you engage in a business that isn’t profitable?

Okay, maybe you are not importing for business.

Perhaps you’re importing for personal use.

Still, why would you overpay if you can use a few tips to save money?

Well, that’s it.

You can reduce your shipping cost by a significant margin if you pay attention to the following tips.

· Compare Shipping Rates

Avoid the guesswork and random selection of shipping services as is this how you end up overpaying.

If you want to cut on your shipping costs, learn to compare rates between various shipping companies.

Remember that there are very many China to the Philippines shipping options and companies.

You could choose to use FedEx, UPS or DHL for express packages.

You have multiple options for large shipments which include COSCO, MSC, etc.

Or airlines like MASkargo and China airlines cargo.

COSCO Shipping

An easy way to compare the rates offered by these companies is to use a shipping rate comparison website.

Entering your information on these websites will enable to do a side by side comparison of rates offered by various companies.

This alone can help save you a substantial amount of money irrespective of what you are shipping.

NB: freight rates calculators are also useful tools in this case.

They help you estimate possible freight rates from destination to destination.

· Review your shipping options

You don’t have to ship via express mail if your package doesn’t have to be in the Philippines overnight.

If it is a small package with a 2-3 days delivery period, use standard air freight means.

In the same sense, do not burden yourself with expensive air freight costs when shipping large volumes of goods.

Sea freight tends to be slower, but it sure is more cost efficient and reliable for larger and heavy items.

· Use a customs broker

While this may come at an extra cost, it can help you save immensely when shipping from China to the Philippines.

Customs brokers are professionals in customs clearance processes.

They take care of your paperwork as they should and help you clear with customs faster.

Their knowledge of the ins and outs of international shipping and customs practices is very helpful.

Thisalone is enough to help avoid being overcharged at the customs office.

· Be keen on the packaging

You see, most shipping companies tend to charge by dimensional weight.

This means that they consider both the actual weight and size of your package in the calculation of freight rates.

Often, shippers argue that heavy packages consume lots of fuel, while larger packages take up more space.

As such, you may want to ensure that your package is not too much or too little for your type of shipment.

In other words, if you are shipping a small package, use a large enough box to include adequate padding all around your item, but no larger.

Also, do not use heavy packaging material as they tend to add unnecessary weight to your shipment.

Packing peanuts and air-based materials like bubble wraps work well as they are super light.

For larger freight shipments the same principle applies.

The larger the container you use, the more you’ll pay.

As such, don’t use a larger one than necessary.

· Use a reputable freight forwarder

In international shipping, using a reputable freight forwarder is very important.

Most reputed companies have relations with the best shipping and logistics service companies in the market.

In the case of shipping from China to the Philippines, there are so many things that you need to consider.

You will need to consider things like shipping methods, safety, documentation, handling, customs etc.

JMS freight forwarder

Every so often, you may have to deal with more than one company to have your goods shipped from China to the Philippines.

This is not always the best option

By using a reputable freight forwarder, you put yourself to deal with just one company that will take care of all your shipping needs.

This way, you won’t just save money but will also enjoy top quality freight services.

The good thing about freight forwarding companies of this calibre is that they offer an array of services.

Besides shipping, they also offer documentation, customs clearance, customs brokerage, cargo insurance and, warehousing and distribution services.

The latter service, by the way, can save you so much money as most forwarders like JMS offer free warehousing for 20-30 days.

The bottom line;

Do not be in a rush to import your goods.

Do your research on everything there is about shipping from China to the Philippines.

Learn everything you can including ways to save money.

Shipping costs can be detrimental.

It’s worse when you also have to deal with hefty customs rates.

So be smart how you go about it.

That said, let’s now find out some of the popular product imports from China to the Philippines.

Chapter 8: Popular Products importing from China to the Philippines

Before we go into anything else, what’s the Filipino market like?

Say, if you want to import ‘made in China’ products for resell in the Philippines?

Well, I’ll tell you this;

The Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in not just South East Asia, but in Asia and the world in general.

The country records an annual GDP per capita growth rate of at least 6.5%.

This I must say is a good indication of the potential for business there is in the Philippines.

And,

If you want to enjoy good profits, importing from China to the Philippines is something you shouldn’t think twice about.

You need to carve your niche, know your market and give it your best.

Philippines main imports – Photo courtesy: Philippines Statistics Authority

Talking of imports, do you even know what products are popularly imported into the Philippines?

Well, I think you should.

Familiarity with this can help you greatly in determining what direction to take regarding importing from China to the Philippines.

Take a look at this;

Philippines imported USD 98.5 billion worth of goods from around the world in 2017 alone.

This is about a 14.6% increase from the total imports in 2016.

And,

Chinas exports alone to the Philippines amount to USD 17.8 billion.

This is almost 18.1% of the country’s total imports.

From a business perspective, there is potential in the Philippines.

And in as much the countries local industry is doing its best in availing a section of goods to the consumer, the number of imports will continue to soar up in the years to come.

With China being well positioned, with plenty of infrastructures, importing to the Philippines isn’t much of a problem nowadays.

So, if you are keen on profiting from importing goods from China but have no idea what to bring, here is some help.

List of popular products importing from China to the Philippines in no particular order;

• Furniture
• Construction materials
• Electronic equipment
• Machinery
• Mineral fuels including oil
• Plastics
• Vehicles
• Iron
• Steel products
• Ceramics
• Lighting and signs
• Paper
• Motorcycles and bicycles
• Pharmaceuticals and medical apparatus

Furniture and construction materials are most popularly imported from China to the Philippines.

You may try to find a specific product in that range to ship to the Philippines.

Chapter 9: How to Choose an Ideal China to the Philippines Freight Forwarder

Shipping from China to the Philippines can be challenging, yes.

But, we’ve come from far.

You know the rules and regulations, the cost of shipping, major ports and airports as well as shipping options.

Now, you also know what products you can import.

What else then, other than finding a freight forwarder that will provide you with reliable and dependable services?

Like I’ve just said, the process of importing from China can be quite a complex one.

It comes with plenty of factors to consider, the most important one is working with the right freight forwarder.

JMS China

It is imperative that the freight forwarder you choose to work with is suitable for your supply chain needs.

The importation business is one that requires strict adherence to time.

You don’t want to disappoint customers with late deliveries or something like that.

This is why you must choose to work with a reliable company.

One that can not only deliver on their promises, but also that is familiar with the what, when, where, and how’s of importing from China to the Philippines.

The good thing about shipping from China is that there are plenty of companies offering freight forwarding services.

Searching for them on the internet will provide you with thousands of choices.

Even if you decide to narrow your search, you will still have to go through a long list of possible companies to work with.

The question then comes up;

How do you find an ideal China to the Philippines freight forwarding company?

1. Get recommendations

Well, one way to do this is to ask for recommendations from friends, or suppliers in China.

The good thing about people in business is that they are always happy and ready to share connections.

In this case, it is easy for friends and associates to recommend service providers if they’ve had great experiences with them.

So, going off recommendations is an excellent way to finding the right freight forwarder.

It also helps you avoid having to go through an extensive list of companies.

What if you can’t find a recommendation?

2. Find a China to Philippines freight forwarder on your own

Well, you can try finding one on your own.

You can begin by looking for companies that are recognised by the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA).

FIATA

Often, FIATA recognised companies are reliable and dependable.

This is because their operations have been reviewed by this body and approved.

Once you check through this and identify a potential service provider, contact them to discuss your requirements.

When making contact, make sure to ask lots of questions regarding their service, delivery, rates, and all.

Ask about anything and everything that will assure you of the company’s ability to handle your shipping needs.

They should show that they fully understand your hopes and expectations with regards to shipping from China to the Philippines.

If you have any deadlines to meet, make sure you find out from the freight forwarder if they are workable and realistic

Don’t forget to ascertain if the company specialises in the market you are importing from and to.

In this case, China to the Philippines.

Please keep this in mind:

The shipping industry is very competitive.

There are many very many companies doing the same business.

It is therefore wise that you seek out various freight forwarders and find out everything you can about them including shipping rates.

With this, you can then compare your findings and go with the most competitive one both in service provision and cost.

It is hard, isn’t it?

Well, do you have any questions?

Maybe I’ve answered them below.

Chapter 10: Shipping from China to the Philippines FAQs

We’ve gone over so much already.

At this point, I can only imagine the tons of questions running through your mind.

Well, I keep saying this; importing from China can be profitable and also complex.

Familiarizing yourself with the markets in this case and the processes included can be very advantageous.

That said, this FAQ section might contain answers to some of your questions.

So, please read through

1. How to order from Alibaba to the Philippines

Alibaba is one of the world’s largest B2B online platform and the largest in China.

It is where most importers source their products from.

I understand that ordering from this site can be a challenge for a first time user.

Well, it is not as hard as you think.

Order from Alibaba to Philippines

Here’s the proof;

To order from Alibaba, you first need to create an Alibaba account.

If you already have an account proceed to the signing page and log in with your credentials.

• With an account on, you can proceed to search for a product.

Here’s where it gets tricky.

You need to have a product in mind first before you think of importing from Alibaba or anywhere else in China.

We’ve listed the popular products import from China to the Philippines in chapter 8; maybe you can use that as a guide.

• So search for your product by typing your search terms on the search tab.

You can also use the drop-down menu on the left side of the page choose your product.

• You need to be more specific when searching.

Using the categories menu will give you thousands of results.

Using general terms on the search tab will do the same.

You need to be a little specific or rather personalise your search to reduce the results to something more specific.

• An alternative to searching by product would be to search by suppliers.

This is the best way to find what you are looking for and fast.

It easy as Alibaba has a specialised ‘suppliers’’ tab that you click on to search for your preferred suppliers in China.

• Alternatively, you can also post a request for quote (RFQ) so that suppliers can find you

You can do this by clicking the submit RFQ tab on Alibaba page.

The next step would be to contact various suppliers.

• Under each product or supplier result, there’s a contact supplier option. All you need to do is click on this option and type in your message.
• Note that this is your chance to ask all the questions you have and to make negotiate deals.
• You should try to negotiate the minimum order quantity, the price per unit and the payments methods.
• Take the opportunity to also ask for samples to help you verify the quality of the product.
• Don’t forget to negotiate the currency and method of payment as these are most critical aspects of sourcing from Alibaba.

Once, you are set on a supplier; you can now make an order.

• When making your order, stick to the terms of sale agreed on with the supplier.

If it is FOB, then stick to it and let the supplier take care of your shipping up to the origin port.

• Another thing, as you make your payment, ensure that you use a low-risk option. PayPal, in this case, is preferable as it is less risky.

You can also use Alibaba secure payment system the escrow service.

The problem with this is that it is only allowed for suppliers based in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Once you’ve made your order, you take the next steps of shipping to get them to your location in the Philippines.

More Resource:

Buying From Alibaba: How to Have a Secure Buying Experience

video: Introduction to Buying on Alibaba.com

14 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING ON ALIBABA

2. How can I verify the suitability and reliability of a supplier outside Alibaba?

One way to do is by visiting their factory/warehouse in China personally.

If this is too expensive considering your location and travelling costs, you can use a third party agent to do the verification or you.

Many freight forwarding companies offer this service.

You can contact one in China and let them do this for you at a cost.

3. How do I importing from China to the Philippines?

Importing from China to the Philippines is pretty much the same to above process.

You need to;

• First, get an importation permit if you don’t have one yet
• Then, identify a product to import
• Next, find a supplier, you can find one on Alibaba or just go on a search on your search engine
• Once you have a supplier on call, make your order
• As you wait for your order to get ready, find a reliable freight forwarder to help with the shipping process
• Together with the forwarder, decide on a shipping method. Are you shipping by air, sea or via express delivery
• Once you are settled on this, work on your documentation for customs clearance. Your forwarder can help you with this.
• Now give your forwarder the suppliers location so that they can pick the goods from their warehouse
• The freight forwarder will then handle the packing and loading of the products into a shipping container
• And, then have them sent over to your destination port
• Once the products reach your port in the Philippines, you’ll have to clear them with customs before you can claim ownership and finally ship them to the final destination.

4. Can I ship from outside metro manila?

Why not?

There so many shipping companies and freight forwarders operating from China to the Philippines.

These companies cater to all of the Philippines archipelagos.

So, while most companies from China ship to Manila, there will never lack a way to get your goods from China to your location in the Philippines.

No matter if you are in Panay, Batangas, Zamboanga, Iloilo or Ilocos, you can always ship from China.

5. Is there a restriction on motor vehicle importation?

Yes, there is.

Right-hand vehicles are restricted for import into the Philippines from China.

However, every other kind of vehicle can be imported.

You need to ensure that the vehicle is brand new and conforms to Filipino importation rules and regulations.

6. What is a brand new vehicle in this case?

In the Philippines, a vehicle is considered to be brand new if and when;

• It is of a current or advanced year model
• It has never been used nor registered
• Has to have a certificate of first ownership
• The vehicle is of a year preceding the next year and has a less than 50 km mileage. It also has to have been acquired directly from the dealers as a first owner.

7. What happens if the vehicle is not of a current or advanced year model?

These are categorised as used vehicles

8. So I can import a used vehicle into the Philippines?

Yes, but only if you are qualified and have prior authorisation from the relevant authorities.

You see, the Philippines’ government allows for importation of used motor vehicle under the No dollar importation program.

However, this can only be done by the following persons;

• Immigrants
• Returning resident
• Filipino citizen holding a 13G visa
• A foreigner married to a Filipino and holder of a 13G visa

Besides, the vehicle in question has to;

• Be for personal use
• Have a gross weight of not more than 3 tons
• Be accompanied by an authority to import
• Be personally owned and registered under the name of a Filipino resident or immigrant

Quite a hassle, is it worth it?

9. Can I track my shipments from China to the Philippines?

Yes of course!

Most shipping companies have provisions for real-time tracking of goods including their location.

However, you have to have the airway bill or ocean bill of lading number to be able to benefit from real-time tracking.

10. What is an airway bill/bill of lading number?

The eight digit number listed as BOL on your bill of lading document.

You shipping agent can verify this.

11. Who issues the bill of lading?

The freight carrier.

It is often given to acknowledge the receipt of cargo by the shipping company.

12. What is drop shipping?

Drop shipping is a form of international shipping where goods are shipped directly from the supplier’s warehouse to the end customer.

You, the importer won’t have physical access/contact with the goods.

13. Can I drop ship from China to the Philippines?

Yes, you can.

You have to find a reliable freight forwarder and supplier, and you are good to go.

14. Are drop shipped products from China to the Philippines subject to duties and taxes?

Only their value is above the dutiable threshold.

If they are, then it is your customers that have to pay for it.

As the drop shipper though you will have to ensure that your customers are aware of this one way or the other.

In this case, you will have to make sure that the customer knows where you are shipping the goods from and elaborate that the products are subject to an import tariff.

15. The Cheapest way to ship to Philippines

To tell you the truth, shipping from China to Philippines may cost you a lot, but with JMS, you will spend less on shipping cost.

Conclusion

Now that you have got all the information you need on shipping from China to the Philippines; go ahead and make the most out of it.

As you do this, remember the rules and regulations for importing into the Philippines.

And, don’t forget to find that one freight forwarder to work with.

Good luck!

Further reading:

1. Import and export basics
2. Import requirements and documentation
3. How to import to the Philippines, step by step process
4. Drop Shipping from China — How To Deal with Import Duties
5. How do you import personal stuff from China to the Philippines?