EntityMap
This page is the human-readable companion to entitymap.json, a structured, entity-first index of this site's content published under the EntityMap v1.0 specification. It lists the 26 key entities covered across our sourcing, tariff, resource, and reference guides, each grounded in a sourced text excerpt so AI agents, LLMs, and RAG pipelines can cite this site accurately.
View the raw entitymap.json file →
Incoterms Concept
Standardized three-letter trade terms published by the International Chamber of Commerce that define exactly where cost and risk transfer from seller to buyer in an international shipment.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incoterms
“Incoterms are standardized three-letter terms that define exactly where cost and risk transfer from seller to buyer. Getting the wrong Incoterm into a purchase agreement is a common, avoidable source of disputes.”
Incoterms Explained | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
FOB (Free On Board) Concept
An Incoterm under which the seller delivers goods loaded onto the shipping vessel at the named port of origin and handles export clearance; risk transfers to the buyer once goods are on board.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FOB_(shipping)
“FOB is one of the most common terms in China sourcing because it draws a clean, well-understood line at the origin port, letting the buyer control their own freight forwarder and customs broker relationships.”
Incoterms Explained | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Letter of Credit (L/C) Concept
A bank-issued payment guarantee that releases funds to the seller only once specified documentation proving shipment occurred as agreed is presented.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_of_credit
“A Letter of Credit is more secure than a straight wire transfer but more complex and costly to set up, releasing funds only once specified shipping documentation is presented to the bank.”
Common China Sourcing Terms Glossary | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
De Minimis Exemption Concept
A US customs provision under Section 321 of the Tariff Act of 1930 that historically allowed shipments valued under $800 to enter duty-free with minimal formal processing.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_minimis
“The de minimis exemption no longer applies to China and Hong Kong-origin merchandise, effective May 2, 2025. Postal shipments now face duty of 120% of declared value or a flat per-item fee.”
De Minimis Rules for Low-Value China Shipments | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Landed Cost Concept
The total cost of a shipment once it reaches the buyer, including product cost, freight, insurance, and all applicable duties — the figure that determines real sourcing economics, not headline tariff rates alone.
- INCLUDES → Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974
- INCLUDES → Section 122 Global Tariff
“Landed cost is the number that matters more than any single headline tariff rate: full landed cost, not headline rate, should drive sourcing decisions once freight, duty, and inspection costs are included.”
Tariffs & Landed Cost | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Trading Company Concept
A company that sources from one or more factories and resells to buyers, rather than manufacturing directly — distinct from a manufacturer, though sometimes misrepresented as one.
“A trading company doesn't manufacture anything — it sources from one or more factories and resells to buyers, usually at a markup, often without disclosing that it isn't the factory.”
How to Find a Manufacturer in China | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
China+1 Sourcing Strategy Concept
A sourcing strategy where a buyer keeps some production in China but adds at least one additional country to reduce tariff exposure and supply-chain concentration risk.
- LEADS_TO → Reduced Tariff Exposure (declared)
“China+1 describes a sourcing strategy where a buyer keeps some production in China but adds at least one additional country to reduce tariff exposure or supply-chain concentration risk, or both.”
China+1 Sourcing Alternatives | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) Taxonomy
The US-specific 10-digit classification system, built on the international 6-digit Harmonized System, that Customs and Border Protection uses to determine duty rates on imported goods.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonized_System
“Your HTS code isn't just a label — it's the single factor that determines your base duty rate and whether Section 301, Section 232, or other additional tariffs apply at all.”
HTS Codes Explained | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) Metric
A statistical sampling standard used in quality inspections that defines how many defects in a random sample are tolerable before a shipment is considered to have failed inspection.
“Most inspections use an AQL sampling plan: the inspector examines a statistically representative random sample sized to the order quantity, and the shipment passes or fails based on defects found relative to a pre-agreed threshold.”
Quality Inspection Companies | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Factory Audit Methodology
The due-diligence process of verifying a Chinese manufacturer's business legitimacy, production capability, quality systems, and compliance before committing to a purchase order.
- PREVENTS → Bait-and-Switch Quality Fraud
“A factory audit confirms the things a supplier's marketing materials can't: that the company is legally registered, that it actually manufactures the product, and that its quality systems meet specification consistently.”
Factory Audit Checklist | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
ISO 9001 Standard
An internationally recognized quality management system standard, commonly used as a general baseline certification when vetting a Chinese manufacturer's quality systems.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_9000_family
“Relevant certifications for a factory audit include ISO 9001 as the general quality-management baseline, alongside product-specific certifications like CE, FCC, or CPSIA depending on the category.”
Factory Audit Checklist | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Organization
The US federal agency that investigates foreign trade practices under Section 301 authority and administers the resulting tariff programs on Chinese goods.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_the_United_States_Trade_Representative
“Section 301 tariffs on China trace back to a 2017-2018 USTR investigation into Chinese intellectual property and technology-transfer practices, resulting in escalating rounds of additional duties starting in 2018.”
Section 301 Tariffs Explained | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Organization
The US federal agency responsible for classifying imports, collecting duties, and licensing customs brokers to represent importers in customs matters.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Customs_and_Border_Protection
“A customs broker is licensed by CBP to prepare and submit the documentation needed to clear imported goods, calculate and remit duties, and represent importers in dealings with CBP.”
Customs Brokers: What They Do and How to Choose One | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
World Customs Organization (WCO) Organization
The intergovernmental organization that maintains the international 6-digit Harmonized System on which country-specific tariff schedules, including the US HTS, are built.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Customs_Organization
“The Harmonized Tariff Schedule is a US-specific 10-digit extension of the 6-digit international Harmonized System maintained by the World Customs Organization, which most countries use as the basis for their own tariff schedules.”
HTS Codes Explained | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
China Place
The country of origin for the manufacturers, tariff exposure, and trade-compliance topics covered throughout this site.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China
“ChinaManufacturers.com provides practical guidance on sourcing from Chinese manufacturers, covering the sourcing process end to end: finding and vetting a factory, contracts, negotiation, fraud prevention, and tariffs.”
About | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Vietnam Place
The most established China+1 sourcing alternative, particularly for electronics assembly, furniture, and apparel manufacturing.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam
“Vietnam is the most established China+1 alternative, particularly for electronics assembly, furniture, and apparel, with a manufacturing base that has had a decade to mature under prior tariff cycles.”
China+1 Sourcing Alternatives | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Customs Broker Service
A service provider licensed by CBP to classify goods, calculate duties, file entry documentation, and represent importers in customs matters.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customs_broker
“Since the elimination of de minimis treatment for China-origin goods in 2025, formal entry — and therefore a licensed customs broker — is now required for many shipments that used to clear informally.”
Customs Brokers: What They Do and How to Choose One | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Freight Forwarder Service
A service provider that arranges the physical movement of goods from factory to destination, booking freight, handling export documentation, and coordinating customs clearance.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freight_forwarder
“A good freight forwarder is the difference between a shipment that clears smoothly and one that sits in a port sorting out a paperwork problem, arranging freight, documentation, and customs coordination.”
Freight Forwarders: What They Do and How to Choose One | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Sourcing Agent Service
An independent representative, typically based in China, who finds factories, negotiates, inspects production, and manages local logistics on a buyer's behalf.
“A sourcing agent is an independent representative, usually based in China, who finds factories, negotiates on your behalf, inspects production, and manages logistics locally.”
Sourcing Agents: What They Do and How to Vet One | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Quality Inspection Company Service
A third-party service that sends an independent inspector to verify factory production matches a buyer's specification before goods ship.
“A quality inspection company sends an independent inspector to a factory to verify that production matches specification, catching defects before a shipment leaves China rather than after it arrives.”
Quality Inspection Companies | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 Regulation
US trade law authorizing the USTR to investigate and respond to unfair foreign trade practices; the legal basis for the primary tariffs applied to Chinese goods since 2018.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_301_of_the_Trade_Act_of_1974
- PART_OF → Trade Act of 1974
“The Federal Circuit upheld Section 301 Lists 3 and 4A in a September 2025 ruling, reinforcing that Section 301 rests on durable statutory authority, unlike IEEPA-based tariffs which the Supreme Court struck down in February 2026.”
Section 301 Tariffs Explained | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 Regulation
US trade law allowing tariffs on imports deemed a threat to national security; the basis for elevated tariffs on steel, aluminum, and derivative products from China.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_Expansion_Act
“Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum products stack on top of Section 301 and baseline rates, pushing combined exposure on those categories to roughly 75-85% as of mid-2026.”
2026 China Tariff Rates by Category | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Section 122 Global Tariff Regulation
A flat additional US tariff applied broadly across trading partners rather than specifically to China, signed in February 2026 on a limited term.
“The Section 122 global 10% tariff was signed in February 2026 on a limited term; whether it's extended, modified, or allowed to lapse changes the total tariff stack for nearly every product category.”
2026 China Tariff Rates by Category | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) Regulation
US law granting the president emergency economic powers, used as legal basis for a set of China tariffs that the Supreme Court struck down in February 2026.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Emergency_Economic_Powers_Act
“IEEPA-based tariffs were struck down by the Supreme Court on February 20, 2026, a meaningful legal distinction from Section 301 tariffs, which have consistently survived judicial review.”
2026 China Tariff Rates by Category | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Regulation
US law creating a rebuttable presumption that goods made wholly or in part in China's Xinjiang region are produced with forced labor and barred from importation.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uyghur_Forced_Labor_Prevention_Act
“Buyers should confirm no indicators tie a facility to entities on restricted-party or forced-labor enforcement lists, worth checking directly given active US enforcement under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.”
Factory Audit Checklist | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com
Canton Fair Event
A biannual trade fair held in Guangzhou, China, where buyers can meet factory representatives, see physical samples, and gauge production capability in person.
sameAs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canton_Fair
“The Canton Fair, held each spring and fall in Guangzhou, remains one of the highest-signal ways to source, letting buyers meet factory representatives and see physical samples in person.”
How to Find a Manufacturer in China | ChinaManufacturers.com - published by ChinaManufacturers.com