Destination file · china

Buy from Switzerland,
delivered to China.

Two regimes, and the cheaper one has limits

China assesses personal imports either as postal articles under a simplified personal postal tax, or as commercial imports with full duty and VAT. The first is cheaper and capped; the second has no ceiling. Which one applies depends on value, quantity and how the parcel is presented — and getting it wrong is expensive.

Provisional · awaiting verification

This file was reconstructed from a rendered build after the original source was lost. Rates come from the quote engine and were cross-checked against the recovered page, but the editorial detail has not been verified against primary customs sources. Treat the quote as indicative until that review is recorded here.

CNY 50De-minimis on the postal channel — very low
13%Import VAT on the commercial channel
0%Duty on many goods under the CH–CN free trade agreement
4–6Working days from Geneva

What duty actually costs

Which channel your parcel enters.

The China–Switzerland free trade agreement has been phasing tariffs down since 2014 and takes many industrial lines to zero. What it does not simplify is the choice of import channel, which is decided at the border and changes the arithmetic entirely.

Duty on Swiss goodsReconstructed 17 August 2026 · rates from the quote engine · awaiting verification
0%10%8%201312%20186%20222%20260%
Duty you actually payMFN rate for goods outside the agreementWhat the declaration is worth
  • 1 Jul 2014CH–CN free trade agreement enters into forceThe first such agreement between China and a continental European country. Tariffs on most Swiss industrial goods phase down over ten years.phased
  • 2024Phase-out completes on most linesWatches, machinery and most industrial goods reach zero for goods of Swiss origin with a declaration.0%
  • OngoingPersonal postal taxParcels handled as personal articles are assessed at a flat personal rate rather than duty plus VAT. Above the limits, the commercial regime applies instead.—
  • The channel decides the cost, not just the rate. A single item of modest value usually clears as a personal article at a flat rate. Multiple identical units, or a high declared value, are treated as commercial and attract duty plus 13% VAT plus, on watches and luxury goods, consumption tax. We quote the commercial figure because it is the one that cannot surprise you.

Sources: China–Switzerland Free Trade Agreement, in force 1 July 2014; GACC tariff schedule; State Taxation Administration rates on import VAT and consumption tax. Reconstructed 17 August 2026 and not yet verified line by line. Rates are re-checked on the morning of every purchase and confirmed before anything is charged.

Landed cost

What it actually costs to land in China.

Every figure updates live. The duty basis, tax base and de-minimis rule change with the destination — that is the whole reason this page exists.

Goods, Swiss retail1 × CHF 1'649.00 incl. VAT1'649.00
Swiss VAT refunded8.1% reclaimed on export− 123.56
Net declared valuethe customs value1'525.44
Service fee8% of net · min. CHF 20122.04
Handlinginspection and extras25.00
Air freight14.8 kg chargeable · 4–6 days165.29
Import dutyMFN rate · reduced rates on many goods under the CH–CN FTA · 8.0% on CIF · HS 8516.71135.26
Import VAT13% standard · 9% on some foodstuffs · consumption tax on luxury goods237.38
Total landed, DDP
Nothing owed on arrivalCHF 2'210.40≈ 19,672.60 CNY

Most requested

What people buy from Switzerland.

Swiss provenance carries real weight in this market, and the categories that matter are the ones where authenticity is worth paying to verify.

  • ✓Mechanical watchesBought from authorised dealers with card and papers photographed before payment. Provenance documentation matters more here than anywhere else we ship.
  • ✓Swiss pharmacy and dermatological linesLouis Widmer, Mibelle and the Swiss ranges, in personal quantities.
  • ✓Infant and specialist nutritionSubject to strict registration requirements — we confirm admissibility per product before quoting.
  • ✓Jura and Swiss appliances230 V at 50 Hz matches Chinese mains. Genuine parts against your serial number.
  • ✓Victorinox and Swiss cutleryFull range, subject to the blade rules below.

Restricted or refused

What we will not ship there.

We screen every request against this list before quoting. A refusal costs you nothing; a seizure costs you the goods.

  • ✕Multiple identical unitsThe fastest way to have a shipment reclassified as commercial, with duty, VAT and possibly consumption tax on the full value. We quote single units for personal import and say so.
  • ✕Infant formula without registrationChinese registration requirements for infant nutrition are strict and product-specific. We check before quoting and decline where the product is unregistered.
  • ✕Medicines and most supplementsImport permits are required and a courier shipment does not qualify. Declined.
  • ✕Meat, dairy and honeyProhibited or licence-only for personal import.
  • ✕Restricted knivesChinese rules on blade length and locking mechanisms are enforced at the border. We check the model before purchase.

Transit

Geneva to your door.

All routes are tracked and insured to full replacement value. Duty and tax are prepaid by us on every service, so nothing is collected from you on arrival.

ServiceDoor to door
DHL ExpressDefault, best customs handling4–5 days
FedEx International PriorityAlternative express routing4–6 days
SF ExpressDomestic network after clearance5–7 days
Swiss Post PriorityEconomy, postal channel10–18 days

Questions

Shipping to China, answered.

Will I pay duty?

On many goods, no — the China–Switzerland free trade agreement has phased tariffs on most Swiss industrial goods to zero, provided origin is declared. Import VAT at 13% applies regardless, and luxury goods including watches carry consumption tax on top.

What is the personal postal tax?

A simplified regime for parcels treated as personal articles: a flat rate instead of duty plus VAT, with a low value ceiling. It is cheaper, but whether it applies is decided at the border, not by us. We quote the commercial figure so the number you see is the worst case rather than the best.

Can you send several of the same item?

We will, but expect it to be assessed commercially. Multiple identical units are the clearest signal of resale intent and are treated accordingly.

Are watches worth importing this way?

Frequently, yes — Swiss retail against Chinese retail on the same reference, with 8.1% VAT reclaimed on export. Consumption tax applies on arrival and we quote it. What you also get is documented provenance from an authorised dealer.

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