Verify three identities together: the Chinese registered company, the company issuing the PI or contract, and the person or company that will receive the money.
What a proper supplier check covers
Start with the Chinese legal name and Unified Social Credit Code shown on the business licence. Compare those details with a current registry record, then connect that registered entity to the sales documents and payment instruction.
English trading names and marketplace shop names are useful references, but they are not substitutes for the Chinese legal identity. Transliteration can vary, so the original Chinese name and the 18-character identifier should anchor the review.
- Registered legal identity and operating status
- Business scope and registration profile
- PI or contract issuer
- Product, amount, date and document consistency
- Beneficiary name, country and payment route
Why company existence is not enough
Company existence answers only one question. It does not prove that the company issued the invoice you received, authorized a different trading company to collect money, or requested a last-minute bank change.
A legitimate transaction can involve related companies, exporters or collection agents. The difference must be supported by documents and independently confirmed before the transfer—not explained only after a mismatch is discovered.
The evidence to collect before review
Obtain the business licence, PI or contract and the exact payment instruction. Keep the original files rather than screenshots copied through chat when possible. Record the order value, deposit, currency, beneficiary country and whether any account detail changed.
For a different beneficiary, request a clear payment-authorisation document and evidence of the relationship. Confirmation should use contact details obtained independently of the message that supplied the bank details.
- Chinese business licence
- Signed PI or contract
- Bank or platform payment instruction
- Relationship evidence for a third party
- Relevant change-of-account communications
What remote verification cannot prove
A document and registry review cannot authenticate an account through the bank, inspect production, certify product quality or guarantee future conduct. Samples, product testing, factory audits and pre-shipment inspections remain separate controls.
The correct output is therefore a decision with conditions: proceed with stated controls, hold for evidence, or escalate the contradiction. It should never be a blanket declaration that a supplier is safe.
Common questions
What buyers ask before payment
Can a verified marketplace supplier still require checking?
Yes. Marketplace verification and eligible platform protection are valuable, but the current PI, contracting party and proposed beneficiary still need to fit the transaction you are funding.
Can ChinaTradeCheck guarantee a supplier?
No. It provides transaction-specific decision support based on the evidence available at the review date, not a guarantee of quality, delivery or future behaviour.
When should the check be repeated?
Repeat or reopen the review whenever the contracting entity, beneficiary, account, amount or payment instruction materially changes.