How to export beef from the UK to China
Start by confirming the certificate route with APHA and the plant's eligibility for China. The manufacturer needs GACC registration through competent-authority recommendation, while the importer handles quarantine approval. Cambridge China Bridge's own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands.
Confirm the route for your beef
Beef and veal fall within the meat registration route: confirm the precise commodity coverage in GACC's registration system before committing stock. The six HS codes distinguish fresh or chilled and frozen meat, then carcases, bone-in cuts and boneless meat. These lines are absent from the supplied cross-border e-commerce retail import list, so do not build an entry plan around that route. For lamb orders, see our guide to exporting UK lamb to China.
HMRC recorded £220k of UK goods exports to mainland China under HS 020110, 020120, 020130, 020210, 020220, 020230 in 2025 (2024: £39k, +462.1%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £13.1m. January to July 2026: £260k against £52k in the same months of 2025 (+395.2%).
The largest reported UK export line under those HS codes was 02023090, frozen boneless bovine meat, at £216k. Treat the figures as context for those codes; they do not confirm that your plant or consignment can enter China.
The manufacturer owns the approval application
Under GACC Decree 280, the manufacturer applies itself or through an agent and obtains its country's competent-authority recommendation, supported by a plant audit report and recommendation letter. Confirm the plant's registration and the scope covering your beef with the authority before shipment. Allow months, not weeks: the Chinese authority decides. Registration lasts five years, but meat manufacturers are not eligible for automatic renewal.
The overseas exporter or agent must file with GACC, and the Chinese importer must file with its local customs office. The importer must obtain the required entry animal and plant quarantine permit before signing the trade contract. Keep your manufacturer's application and filings under your control.
Price against the exact Chinese tariff line
The listed Chinese tariff lines have the following MFN rates. Fresh or chilled carcases and frozen carcases carry different rates from cuts, so settle classification before discussing the price your importer can offer. Duty and import VAT add to the importer's landed cost.
The VAT Law sets a standard import rate of 13% and includes agricultural products in its 9% list. Have the importer's customs broker confirm the applicable treatment for this beef and whether consumption tax applies. Import VAT is calculated on customs value plus customs duty plus consumption tax, multiplied by the applicable VAT rate.
| HS6 | Chinese tariff line | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 020110 | 02011000 | 20% |
| 020120 | 02012000 | 12% |
| 020130 | 02013000 | 12% |
| 020210 | 02021000 | 25% |
| 020220 | 02022000 | 12% |
| 020230 | 02023000 | 12% |
Prepare meat-specific marks and packaging
Imported fresh and frozen meat needs firm, clear Chinese and English marks identifying origin country, product name, plant registration number and batch number. The outer pack must also show specification, origin, destination, production date, shelf life and storage temperature in Chinese, and state that the destination is the PRC. Prepare artwork against these requirements and have licensed partners check the applicable requirements of GB 2707-2016 for fresh and frozen livestock and poultry products.
Resolve the UK certificate route before selling
The GOV.UK China export health certificate listing contains no certificate for this beef: ask APHA to confirm the certificate route and whether your proposed export can proceed. For exports from England, Scotland or Wales, arrange a GB EORI, the correct commodity code and an export declaration. Prepare the invoice and packing list references, value, weight, packaging, destination and transport details; the carrier needs the invoice and any required licences or certificates. For pork shipments, see our guide to exporting pork cuts to China.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
Find and check an importer before committing stock
Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands. If an importer has already approached you, our staff check that company before stock is sent or anything is signed. For beef, establish who will handle importer filing, quarantine approval and customs declaration, including entry of the manufacturer's registration number.
For this category, our help is limited to preparation, finding and checking a Chinese importer, and coordinating licensed partners. We prepare registration and label work with licensed partners in China; the importer of record stays with licensed partners in China, and the brand's own filings stay the brand's.
Use our export-to-China service to discuss importer checks and preparation around your plant, product specification and proposed shipment.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a UK export health certificate for beef to China?
The GOV.UK China certificate listing contains no certificate for this beef. Ask APHA to confirm the certificate route and whether the proposed export can proceed.
What Chinese duty applies to frozen boneless beef?
Chinese tariff line 02023000 has an MFN rate of 12%. Import VAT also affects landed cost; the importer's customs broker confirms its applicable treatment.
Can my beef plant renew GACC registration automatically?
No. Meat manufacturers are excluded from automatic renewal. Registration is valid for five years.
When must the Chinese importer get the quarantine permit?
The importer must obtain the required entry animal and plant quarantine permit before signing the beef trade contract or agreement.