How to export mixing machinery from the UK to China

Start with the machine's function and import route

Mixing, crushing and other industrial process machinery spans several customs classifications. HS 847982 covers mixing and related processing functions, but other machines and parts fall under different lines. Give the Chinese importer the machine's function and specifications before agreeing a shipment. Treat commercial equipment purchases as a commercial import; the limited cross-border retail entries below are for personal use.

For UK exports under HS 8479-8479 (11 subheadings), HMRC recorded £47.7m of UK goods exports to mainland China under 11 HS6 subheadings in 2025 (2024: £51.4m, -7.3%). These codes also cover second-hand industrial machinery, so the total is broader than this product alone.

Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £5.3m. January to July 2026: £16.7m against £24.1m in the same months of 2025 (-30.7%). The largest UK export line was 84798997, machines, apparatus and mechanical appliances, n.e.s., at £31.0m; this is an HS-code total, not a mixing-machinery sales figure.

Price against the Chinese tariff line

Chinese tariff line 84798200 for mixing machinery has a verified MFN rate of 7%. Across the wider group, rates vary by Chinese tariff line, including a difference between the cold isostatic press lines. Use the applicable line below when discussing the importer's landed cost and the price it can offer.

Import VAT is generally 13%, subject to the 9% list and other special rules; agricultural machinery is on that list. VAT is calculated on customs value plus customs duty plus consumption tax, multiplied by the applicable rate. The importer's customs broker or adviser confirms the VAT treatment and whether consumption tax applies to the machine.

Resolve CCC certification before shipment

The CCC reference table matches 8479892000 to air conditioners using third-party certification. This makes the exact product scope important: do not assume every machine in the wider HS group needs CCC, or that a tariff code alone settles coverage. Have the importer confirm whether the model falls within that scope and needs certification before import. Approvals take months, not weeks, and the Chinese authority decides.

Prepare the UK export declaration

For exports from England, Scotland or Wales, obtain a GB EORI and classify the machine using the correct UK commodity code. The online export declaration needs its value, weight, packaging, destination, transport details, and invoice and packing list references. Give the carrier the invoice and any applicable export licences or certificates. Keep the machine description consistent with the specifications used by the Chinese importer.

Use cross-border retail only within its limited scope

The cross-border retail list includes 84798390, other cold isostatic presses; 84798920, air humidifiers and dehumidifiers; and 84798999, other machines and mechanical appliances not elsewhere specified in the chapter. The entries for 84798390 and 84798999 exclude old mechanical and electrical products whose import is prohibited or restricted. These entries do not open the whole machinery group to retail imports.

Listed goods imported through 1210 or 9610 are supervised as personal-use articles and may not be resold. First-import licence, registration and filing requirements are generally disapplied, subject to the stated epidemic and emergency-risk exceptions. Limits are RMB 5,000 per transaction and RMB 26,000 annually per person. The overseas business must appoint a mainland-registered company for customs registration, truthful declarations and shared civil liability.

Find a Chinese buyer able to handle the machine

Check a prospective buyer's intended use, technical requirements and proposed tariff classification against your machine's specifications. Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands. If an importer has already approached you, our staff in China check that company before stock is sent or anything is signed.

We prepare registration and label work with licensed partners in China. The importer of record and any required cross-border e-commerce agent remain licensed partners in China; your own filings remain yours. Use our export-to-China service to arrange buyer checks and preparation with those partners.