Food exporters to China gain easier access to self-check procedures

The Viet Nam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (Viet Nam SPS) has released a Vietnamese translation of the user manual for the CIFER system operated by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), helping Vietnamese businesses more easily register food exports to the Chinese market.

According to Viet Nam SPS, the document was issued to support enterprises in searching information and carrying out procedures such as new registrations, amendments, renewals, cancellations and application tracking on the CIFER system - a mandatory platform for many categories of food imported into China.

Many exporters have said accessing the CIFER system has been challenging due to its complicated registration procedures and strict technical requirements. Smaller businesses often had to hire consultants or spend significant time learning the system before they could complete dossiers in line with Chinese regulations.

The release of the Vietnamese translation is expected to improve accessibility and reduce administrative difficulties for first-time exporters.

The Vietnamese-language guide is expected to significantly reduce technical barriers, especially for small and medium-sized manufacturers that struggle to access specialized materials in English or Chinese.

Based on the guide, businesses can access the system via the CIFER System to complete online procedures related to food export registration to China. The platform allows enterprises to create accounts, submit applications, upload supporting documents, track processing status and receive feedback from Chinese authorities.

One important point is that China currently requires 18 categories of food products to be recommended by the competent authority of the exporting country before the GACC issues registration codes. These groups include seafood, meat and meat products, dairy products, bird’s nest products, honey, spices, dried fruits and vegetables, seeds, health supplements and foods for special dietary purposes.

Trade experts say China’s increasingly strict management requirements reflect a broader trend toward tighter food safety and traceability controls on imported products. This means exporters must invest more heavily in quality management systems, production documentation and internal control procedures.

Products outside these 18 categories may be registered directly with the GACC by enterprises themselves. Businesses, therefore, need to correctly identify product categories from the outset to avoid rejected applications or processing delays.

The handbook also notes that each company may register only one account on the CIFER system. If a business has products that require both self-registration and authority-recommended registration, it does not need to create a second account; it only needs to complete additional verification procedures with the relevant authority.

According to the guidelines, the registration process requires detailed declarations on factory information, production lines, production capacity, trade activities with China during the previous two years, raw materials used, pesticide use, manufacturing processes and food safety commitments.

Many documents must also be uploaded to the system, including production licenses, factory layout plans, the latest inspection records from authorities, product images and product labels.

Some businesses noted that preparing complete electronic documents in the correct format is the most time-consuming step. Even minor errors such as incorrect company names, missing documents or non-compliant images may result in rejected applications that must be resubmitted from the beginning.

Notably, rejected applications cannot be revised within the old dossier, meaning enterprises must restart the submission process entirely. As a result, accurate preparation of information and documents from the outset is considered critical for saving time and costs.

Beyond new registrations, the CIFER system also manages the entire lifecycle of enterprise applications, including information amendments, registration renewals, cancellations and re-inspections. Businesses that change information while registrations remain valid must proactively update the system to avoid disruptions to export activities.

China’s stronger focus on traceability and registration conditions for imported food businesses comes as the country tightens cross-border food safety management. For Viet Nam, this creates both compliance pressure and opportunities to standardize production and improve export quality.

Many experts believe that if Vietnamese enterprises can effectively meet CIFER requirements, they will not only export more smoothly to China but also strengthen competitiveness in other markets with strict traceability and food safety standards. The system is also viewed as an important driver for digital transformation in agricultural and food exports.

According to Viet Nam SPS, during the use of the CIFER handbook and system operations, local authorities, associations and businesses can report difficulties to receive timely guidance and support.