How to verify a Chinese supplier before you pay (UK)
Verify a Chinese supplier before you pay by checking, in order: the 18-character credit code on its business licence, its record and business scope on GSXT, whether it is the factory or a trader, that the bank beneficiary is exactly the licensed company, the court enforcement lists, and the factory itself on a live video or an audit. Cambridge China Bridge verifies suppliers.
The short answer
Paper checks come first because they are free and fast: they prove the company exists, is still trading, is licensed to make what you are buying, and is the one you would be paying. Only then is a factory visit worth its cost, because it answers what paper cannot: whether that company actually makes your product on its own line.
Do all of it before the deposit, not before the balance. Once a deposit has gone to the wrong account or the wrong company, there is rarely a way to recover it.
Seven checks, in order
A well-formed credit code only proves the number was typed correctly. The checks after it prove the company behind the number is the one you are dealing with, that it makes your product, and that your money will reach it.
| Check | What must be true | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Credit code | The 18-character Unified Social Credit Code on the business licence is well-formed under GB 32100-2015 | Our China supplier ID checker |
| Company record | The legal name, code, legal representative and registered address match the licence you were sent, and the company is still operating | GSXT, the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System |
| Business scope | The scope (经营范围) includes manufacturing (生产 or 制造) of your product, not only sales (销售) or wholesale (批发) | The same GSXT record |
| Factory or trader | You know whether you are dealing with the maker or an intermediary, and which company exports | Factory or trading company |
| Bank beneficiary | The beneficiary is exactly the licensed company name, not a person or another company | The proforma invoice and bank details |
| Court lists | The company is not listed as a judgment debtor or on the dishonest-debtor list (失信被执行人) | China Execution Information Disclosure, run by the Supreme People's Court |
| See the factory | The production line you are buying from exists and makes your kind of product | A live video walk-through or an on-site audit |
What a video call or an audit adds
Ask for a live video walk-through, not recorded footage, and ask to see the specific machine or line your order will run on, the factory's own signage, and work in progress of your kind of product. A factory that owns a process can tell you its limits; our guide on verifying a factory's equipment covers the questions to ask.
For a first order of real value, an on-site audit by someone who is not the supplier checks the same things in person, along with the workforce, the quality records and the raw materials. See factory verification.
Warning signs
Stop and check again if the bank beneficiary differs from the licensed company, if the supplier asks you to pay a personal account or a new account at short notice, if it refuses a live video, if the price is far below every other quote for the same specification, or if the only evidence offered is a platform badge. An Alibaba badge verifies less than it appears to, see what the Verified Supplier badge verifies, and our scams guide covers the common patterns.
Before the balance, and what we do
The deposit is only the first payment. Before the balance, check the goods against the specification at a pre-shipment inspection and the documents against the contract, see what to check before paying the balance and how to read a Chinese proforma invoice.
Cambridge China Bridge checks suppliers in China before you pay, with its own staff on the ground. Audits and inspections are usually included in the quote; complex checks that need a third party are charged separately and agreed in advance. If you already hold a quote, send it for a quote check.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a Chinese supplier is real?
Check the 18-character Unified Social Credit Code on its business licence, then find the company on GSXT, the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System, and confirm the name, status and business scope match.
How can I tell a factory from a trading company?
The business scope on GSXT shows manufacturing or only sales, and a live video of the production line settles it. The credit code alone cannot tell you.
The bank account name is different from the supplier. Should I pay?
Not until you know why. The beneficiary should be exactly the licensed company; a personal account or another company's name means the money is not going to the company you checked.
Is an Alibaba Verified Supplier badge enough?
No. It is a starting point; you still need the licence, the GSXT record, the bank beneficiary check and a look at the factory.