Useful links for working with China
A curated list of official and practical resources for internet, business, compliance, and trading with China.
Use these links to verify requirements, understand platforms, and plan your next steps.
How to use this page
These links are grouped by common tasks. Where possible, we prioritise official sources and widely-used industry references.
If you are working on a time-sensitive issue (licensing, banking, tax, or compliance), always confirm requirements with a qualified local adviser.
Practical takeaway: Use this page for quick navigation — then confirm the latest requirements with the official source or your adviser.
China internet and ICP filing
- MIIT ICP filing system (beian.miit.gov.cn) — official ICP filing lookup / verification.
- CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Center) — domain and internet development resources.
- MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology) — policy and telecom / internet regulation.
Practical takeaway: If you host a public website or service on a China IP address, plan for ICP requirements early.
Chinese search engines and webmaster resources
- Baidu Search Resource Platform (Baidu Webmaster)
- Shenma Webmaster
- Sogou — consumer search + input ecosystem.
Practical takeaway: For China SEO, always use the local webmaster platforms (indexing, verification, and guidelines).
Payments and e-commerce platforms
- Alipay (global)
- WeChat Pay
- Tmall (consumer marketplace)
- Taobao (consumer marketplace)
- JD.com (consumer marketplace)
- 1688 (B2B sourcing marketplace)
Practical takeaway: Start by understanding platform fees, deposits, logistics and returns — costs can change your margin.
Chinese social media platforms
- WeChat (Weixin) — messaging, Official Accounts, Mini Programs.
- Weibo — public social media and brand visibility.
- Xiaohongshu (RED) — lifestyle, reviews, and social commerce.
- Douyin — short video and live commerce.
- Bilibili — video communities and youth culture.
Practical takeaway: Social platforms drive discovery first — sales come later through trust and repetition.
Chinese e-Commerce platforms
- Tmall — brand-led B2C marketplace.
- Taobao — C2C and social commerce.
- JD.com — logistics-driven B2C platform.
- Pinduoduo — price-driven, group-buying commerce.
- 1688 — domestic B2B sourcing marketplace.
Practical takeaway: Each platform serves a different buyer type — choosing the wrong one is expensive.
Trade bodies and organisations
- MOFCOM — Ministry of Commerce of the PRC.
- CCPIT — China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
- China-Britain Business Council (CBBC)
- UK Department for Business & Trade
Practical takeaway: Trade bodies help with introductions, validation, and policy context — not instant deals.
Business verification and company lookup
- National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (GSXT) — official company registration lookup.
- Qichacha — commercial company data (useful for cross-checking).
- Tianyancha — commercial company data (useful for cross-checking).
Practical takeaway: Always validate who you are talking to, company status, and related entities before committing time or money.
Shipping and customs
- UK HMRC — export/import guidance and duties.
- China Customs — policies and announcements.
- Royal Mail — small parcel shipping reference.
Practical takeaway: For consumer shipments, plan duties/taxes and returns before you scale volume.
Helpful tools from Access to China
- 🧪 Test a web page from China — quick visibility/performance checks.
- Contact Access to China — tell us what you are trying to achieve and we’ll suggest next steps.
Practical takeaway: When a page is slow in China, the first step is always to identify blocked resources and routing/hosting constraints.
Quick checklist
Use these steps when you are researching or validating something in China.
- Start with official sources (MIIT, CNNIC, Customs, GSXT).
- Cross-check company registrations before sharing sensitive information.
- Check whether services you rely on are blocked/slow in China (CDNs, fonts, analytics, maps).
- Validate platform fees, deposits, and logistics rules before you commit.
- Keep screenshots and notes — you’ll need them when comparing options.
Note: Requirements and URLs can change. If something looks different, treat it as a sign to re-check the official source.
Need help?
If you’d like help with China website performance, hosting, SEO, or platform strategy, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.