Getting Started
China Manufacturing Checklist
A comprehensive checklist of everything you need to prepare before engaging with a Chinese manufacturer.
Before You Contact Manufacturers
Register your trademark in China (in Chinese and English)
Register any applicable patents or design patents in China
Prepare technical specifications and drawings
Define your quality requirements and testing standards
Establish your target pricing and MOQ expectations
Create a product requirements document
Due Diligence on Manufacturers
Verify the company's business license and registration
Check the Unified Social Credit Code (USCC) is valid
Search for litigation history on Chinese court databases
Verify factory ownership vs. trading company
Request and verify customer references
Conduct a factory audit (in-person or third-party)
Legal Protection
Execute an NNN Agreement before sharing any designs
Include liquidated damages clauses in all agreements
Ensure contracts are bilingual with Chinese as controlling language
Specify Chinese law and CIETAC arbitration
Include asset preservation (pre-judgment freezing) provisions
Define clear ownership of molds, tooling, and IP
Operational Setup
Establish payment terms and escrow arrangements
Define quality control inspection points
Set up communication protocols and key contacts
Plan for sample approval process
Arrange shipping and logistics
Establish ongoing audit and compliance schedule
Coming Soon
This checklist is being expanded with detailed guidance for each item, downloadable templates, and links to relevant resources.
Start with Legal Protection
Create your NNN Agreement to protect your IP before sharing anything with manufacturers.
Create NNN Agreement