Since 1 June 2026, overseas food producers exporting to China have been registered under GACC Decree 280, which replaced Decree 248.
What stays the same
- Overseas food producers, processors and storage facilities must be registered in the CIFER system before their products can be imported.
- Higher-risk categories, such as meat, dairy, aquatic products and edible oils, need a recommendation from the home country's competent authority. Other categories can apply directly.
What changed
- Chinese importers must declare the producer's GACC registration number in the customs declaration. Missing or wrong numbers lead to rejection.
- List registration is available for some countries with food-safety cooperation agreements.
- Registrations generally last five years. Most renew automatically, but meat products and edible bird's nests must apply for renewal before expiry.
What to do now
Check that your registration is valid, that your importer has the correct number, and that your Chinese labels are compliant. See Sell to China for how we help.
