,"China’s General Administration of Customs, together with the National Health Commission, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the State Food and Drug Administration, has issued Announcement No. 237 of 2025, introducing a new pilot program for the classification management of imported food and drug substances. The initiative aims to further optimize the business environment at ports, reduce procedural burdens, and support the growth of import trade involving edible and pharmaceutical materials.
Under the new pilot, authorities will adopt a classification-based supervision model for a selected list of 30 food and drug substances. The “Pilot Implementation List of Import Classification Supervision Food and Drug Substances” will be dynamically updated, allowing enterprises to check which items fall under the pilot scope. This list includes various traditional Chinese medicinal materials and common spice botanicals such as clove, star anise, licorice, turmeric, saffron, goji berry, ginseng, chrysanthemum, and others.
For substances included in the pilot, importers must strictly comply with relevant food and drug laws and regulations and ensure truthful and accurate declarations. During customs clearance, enterprises are required to clearly specify the intended use of the imported goods. If the materials are being imported for medicinal purposes, submission of the “Import Drug Customs Clearance Form” is mandatory. For import declarations specifying non-medicinal uses, this form is not required, streamlining procedures for food-use applications and reducing administrative steps for businesses.
Regulators will intensify oversight of enterprises importing, operating, or processing these substances to ensure that goods are used strictly in line with their declared purposes. Except when used as raw materials for health foods under specific compliance frameworks, enterprises are prohibited from altering the declared use or selling products for other purposes after importation.
The announcement also states that the four government agencies will establish a cross-departmental information-sharing mechanism covering national food safety standards and regulatory data. This coordinated system is expected to enhance regulatory efficiency and ensure consistent oversight across customs, health, and market-supervision authorities.
The new pilot measures take effect immediately, marking a significant step in China’s move toward risk-based, categorized supervision of imported edible and medicinal substances. The approach is intended to improve trade facilitation while maintaining strict oversight of product quality and safety."
Consumer News Region