Transit Time Guide
Shipping from Portugal to China
3–5 days express air — customs required. Import duties 0–20% + 13% Chinese VAT. GACC registration required for food exporters.
3–5 days express air — customs required. Import duties 0–20% + 13% Chinese VAT. GACC registration required for food exporters.
China is one of the world's largest import markets. While the trade flow is predominantly China-to-Europe, Portuguese businesses increasingly export to China — wine, luxury goods, olive oil, machinery and high-end food products are in strong demand among Chinese consumers and B2B buyers. All shipments require customs clearance through Chinese Customs (General Administration of Customs of China — GACC). China applies import duties (关税) at rates typically 0–20% depending on product category, plus VAT (增值税) at 13% standard rate. There is no EU-China FTA in force (the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment was negotiated but ratification suspended in 2021 over human rights disagreements). China's de minimis is very low — CNY 50 (~€7) for e-commerce, meaning most B2C shipments are fully taxable. DHL Express delivers to Shanghai and Beijing in 3–5 business days.
| Carrier | Economy | Express | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DHL Express | — | 3–5 days | DHL Express Worldwide. Strong Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou hubs. Best for China. |
| FedEx | 5–8 days | 3–5 days | International Priority (3–5 days) or International Economy (5–8 days air). |
| UPS | 6–9 days | 3–5 days | UPS Worldwide Express (3–5 days) or Worldwide Expedited (6–9 days). |
| DPD | — | — | DPD does not serve China — EU road network only. Use DHL, FedEx or UPS. |
| GLS | — | — | GLS does not serve China. Use DHL, FedEx or UPS for China. |
Times are business days. Customs clearance time (if applicable) is additional and variable.
China requires customs clearance on all imports. Import duties (关税): 0–20% MFN rates depending on HS code. 0% on many high-tech goods; 10–15% on most manufactured goods; 15–20% on food and beverages; up to 30% on agricultural products. Chinese VAT (增值税): 13% standard rate on most goods; 9% on agricultural/food items; 6% on services. Consumption Tax: applies additionally to luxury goods, alcohol, tobacco, jewellery (rates 5–56%). Total effective rate for luxury wine from EU: 14–30% import duty + 10% consumption tax + 13% VAT = very high cumulative rate. De minimis: CNY 50 (~€7) — almost no relief. GACC registration: mandatory for food and agricultural product exporters to China — all food manufacturing premises must be registered with GACC before export to China. Cross-Border E-Commerce (CBEC): separate regulatory framework with RMB 5,000/year duty-free allowance per Chinese consumer for qualified e-commerce platforms.
GACC registration is mandatory for food exporters — all food manufacturing facilities and cold chain operators must register with China's General Administration of Customs before any food shipment. Contact GACC or your customs broker well in advance.
DHL Express is the strongest carrier for China — major Shanghai Pudong hub operations, with same-day customs clearance typical for well-documented express B2B shipments.
Chinese customs can be unpredictable — high-value shipments, food, wine, cosmetics and health products are frequently examined. Build 2–5 days buffer for non-express shipments.
Portuguese wine exports to China: Portugal's wine is well-regarded in China. Tariffs on EU wine are 14–30% + consumption tax 10% + VAT 13%. Despite the cost, demand remains strong for premium wines — price to absorb landed costs.
Label requirements: all consumer goods sold in China need a Chinese-language label (中文标签) complying with GB standards — product name, ingredients, net content, manufacturer, importer, production date, shelf life, storage conditions. Unlabelled or incorrectly labelled goods will be rejected.
Declare accurate HS codes — GACC cross-references declared HS codes with product descriptions and may reclassify goods. Reclassification can result in higher duties and examination delays.
DHL Express: 3–5 business days to Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. FedEx International Priority: 3–5 days; Economy: 5–8 days. UPS Worldwide Express: 3–5 days. Add 1–5 days for Chinese customs clearance — food, wine, cosmetics and high-value goods are frequently examined. Allow 4–10 days total for B2C and 3–7 days for B2B express.
China applies MFN import duties of 0–20% depending on product category, plus 13% VAT (9% for food). Luxury goods, alcohol and tobacco face additional Consumption Tax (10–56%). There is no EU-China FTA, so EU goods face full MFN rates. Notable rates: wine 14–30% + 10% consumption tax + 13% VAT; electronics 0–10% + 13% VAT; industrial machinery 0–8% + 13% VAT; cosmetics 6.5% + 30% consumption tax + 13% VAT.
GACC (General Administration of Customs of China) registration is mandatory for all foreign food and agricultural product exporters to China — including food manufacturers, processors, cold chain facilities and storage operators. Without GACC registration, Chinese customs will refuse food shipments. Apply via the GACC online registration portal. Processing takes weeks to months — plan well in advance for first food exports to China.
China's CBEC framework provides a simplified import channel for overseas online retailers selling directly to Chinese consumers. Chinese consumers purchasing via approved CBEC platforms (Tmall Global, JD Worldwide, etc.) get an annual duty-free allowance of RMB 5,000 (~€650) per consumer. Above that: duties at 70% of MFN rate + VAT at 70% of standard rate. CBEC requires the platform to be registered and goods to be listed in China's 'positive list' of approved CBEC products.
Yes — Portuguese wine exports to China are commercially active. However, Chinese import taxes on wine are among the highest in the world: import duty 14–30% (depending on type and origin) + Consumption Tax 10% + VAT 13%. The landed cost of EU wine in China is typically 40–55% above the ex-works price. Despite this, premium Portuguese wines (Douro, Alentejo, Vinho Verde) find buyers in the growing Chinese premium wine market. Ensure GACC food registration is in place before shipping.
DHL Express offers Saturday delivery in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen for express shipments. FedEx also has Saturday delivery options in major Chinese tier-1 cities. Saturday delivery in secondary Chinese cities is less consistent — check availability at Cargosender checkout.
DHL and FedEx in China make multiple delivery attempts and contact the recipient by phone — always provide a working Chinese mobile number, as phone coordination is standard practice for deliveries in China. Carriers hold parcels at a local depot or locker for collection. Without a contactable recipient, delivery failure rates increase significantly.
DHL Express guarantees the 3–5 day air transit to China. However, Chinese GACC customs clearance is outside carrier control — food, cosmetics, high-value goods and items from flagged HS codes are frequently examined, adding 2–5 days. No carrier guarantees total door-to-door delivery time to China.
Yes — DHL, FedEx and UPS provide tracking to China including last-mile. DHL Express via its Chinese network offers good tracking visibility. Provide the Chinese tracking reference to your buyer so they can also track via the carrier's Chinese-language portal or app. Tracking within Chinese domestic networks can be less frequent than EU domestic shipments.
DHL Express: 70 kg maximum per parcel, girth 300 cm, single dimension 120 cm. Chinese customs also has restrictions on import quantities — multiple identical consumer goods in one shipment may trigger reclassification to a commercial import channel. For individual B2C shipments, stay within standard single-purchase quantities to avoid examination delays.
No — transit times are air transport only. Chinese GACC customs clearance adds 1–5 business days for most shipments. Food, cosmetics, health products and high-value goods are frequently selected for physical examination. Factor an extra 2–5 business days for these categories when setting delivery expectations with Chinese buyers.
Yes — all international air express carriers charge fuel surcharges (typically 15–25% of base rate), adjusted monthly. These are included in Cargosender's quoted prices — no hidden extras. The long-haul Portugal-China route (via Frankfurt or Dubai hubs) means fuel costs are a meaningful portion of the total price.
China has strict controls on DG imports. Dangerous goods require IATA-compliant packaging, carrier pre-approval and potentially Chinese MOFCOM or GACC permits for specific categories. Lithium batteries require special DG declaration. Some chemicals and laboratory equipment face additional restrictions at GACC. Contact Cargosender for DG shipment planning before booking.
Book at Cargosender.com — compare DHL Express, FedEx and UPS rates for your parcel weight. Before booking, ensure you have the correct Chinese address (ideally in Chinese script), the recipient's mobile phone number, and all GACC registrations in place if shipping food or agricultural products. The carrier collects from your Portuguese address.
DHL Express has the strongest on-time performance for China — major Shanghai Pudong (PVG) hub operations, with same-day customs clearance typical for well-documented B2B express shipments. FedEx International Priority is comparable for major Chinese tier-1 cities. Compare rates and services at Cargosender.
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