How to export Nickel products from the UK to China
Classify the metal and its form, check UK dual-use controls, and agree the Chinese tariff line and landed cost with your importer before quoting. Prepare the UK export declaration and supporting paperwork. Cambridge China Bridge’s own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands.
Start with the metal specification and product form
For nickel, cobalt and titanium products, establish composition and product form, then check UK export controls before quoting.
Under HS 7502-8108 (20 subheadings), HMRC recorded £133.9m of UK goods exports to mainland China under 20 HS6 subheadings in 2025 (2024: £145.8m, -8.2%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £148.7m. January to July 2026: £93.8m against £73.0m in the same months of 2025 (+28.6%).
The largest UK export line to mainland China was 75021000, nickel, not alloyed, unwrought, at £42.0m in 2025 under HS 750210. Treat that as context for unwrought nickel, rather than demand evidence for every alloy or finished article. Give a prospective buyer the composition, dimensions and intended use needed to assess your particular material.
Price against the exact Chinese tariff line
The 2026 Customs Import and Export Tariff distinguishes Chinese lines within the same HS6 heading. The table gives MFN rates. Provisional 2026 rates are 1% for 75021010, 75021090 and 75040010; 0% for 81052010 and 81052020; and 4% for 81089031 and 81089032. Have the importer’s customs broker confirm the applicable line and rate before fixing your offer.
Import VAT is generally 13%, subject to the VAT Law’s exceptions. Its base is the customs value plus customs duty plus consumption tax. The importer’s customs adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies to the metal. These border charges increase landed cost and shape the price the buyer can offer.
| Chinese tariff line | MFN rate |
|---|---|
| 75021010, 75021090 | 3% |
| 75022000 | 3% |
| 75040010, 75040020 | 4% |
| 75051100 | 6% |
| 75051200 | 6% |
| 75052100 | 6% |
| 75052200 | 6% |
| 75061000 | 6% |
| 75062000 | 6% |
| 75071100 | 6% |
| 75071200 | 6% |
| 75072000 | 6% |
| 75081010, 75081080, 75081090 | 6% |
| 75089010 | 4% |
| 75089080, 75089090 | 6% |
| 81052010, 81052020, 81052090 | 4% |
| 81053000 | 4% |
| 81059000 | 8% |
| 81082021, 81082029, 81082030 | 3% |
| 81083000 | 3% |
| 81089010, 81089020, 81089031, 81089032, 81089040, 81089090 | 8% |
Plan the import route with your buyer
These metals are absent from the cross-border e-commerce retail import list, so do not build the offer around that route. GACC Decree 280 concerns overseas food manufacturers; its food-manufacturer registration does not apply to these metals. Before shipment, have the buyer confirm the import route and requirements for the exact material and form with the relevant authority.
Resolve UK export controls before promising supply
Category 1 of the UK dual-use control list covers materials, chemicals, micro-organisms and toxins. Whether your metal is controlled depends on its technical specification: classify it against the UK Strategic Export Control Lists before quoting. Export and trade licence applications for mainland China are assessed case by case against the UK Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. Ask the relevant authority to resolve any uncertainty about your specification.
Prepare the UK declaration around the shipment
For exports from England, Scotland or Wales, obtain a GB EORI and the correct UK commodity code. The online export declaration needs the metal’s value, weight and packaging, destination and transport details, and invoice and packing list references. Supply the carrier with the invoice and any applicable export licences or certificates. Align the shipment description with the specification used for classification and export-control assessment.
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Find a buyer who can assess and import your material
Ask a prospective importer or distributor which metal grades and forms it buys, who will handle customs clearance, and how it will confirm the Chinese tariff line and landed cost. Compare its requested specification with what you manufacture before discussing a supply commitment.
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. Use our export-to-China service to arrange that work.
Frequently asked questions
Do nickel products need a UK export licence for China?
It depends on the technical specification. Check the metal against the UK Strategic Export Control Lists before quoting; licence applications for mainland China are assessed case by case.
What is China’s import duty on unwrought nickel?
Chinese lines 75021010 and 75021090 have a 3% MFN rate and a provisional 2026 rate of 1%. Have the importer confirm which line applies to your material.
How is import VAT calculated on these metals?
The general rate is 13%, subject to statutory exceptions. The base is customs value plus duty plus consumption tax. The importer’s adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies.
Can these metals use China’s cross-border retail import route?
These metals are absent from the cross-border e-commerce retail import list. Agree the import route for the exact material with your buyer before shipment.