Since 2010, China is the world’s main manufacturing hub. Almost all manufactured parts are made with components at least partially produced in China. The fact that so many companies do work with Chinese suppliers doesn’t make it easier to identify reliable ones. This guide describe the steps on how to find suppliers in China.
Is China still a good place to buy from in 2026 ?
Cost of manufacturing in China
In spite of the increase in production costs, China has succeeded in keeping an overall cost advantage over other countries. This resilience is partially due to the fierce competition between Chinese suppliers.
For a given product, there will be tenths or hundreds of Chinese suppliers, often located close to one another and with very similar products, as the last factories to open where often opened by former employees of the first ones.
Naturally, the exacerbated competition is good for buyers that can use it to pressure down on supplier’s prices. The downside of it is that it is hard to identify which one will be the best match if you are not only looking for price but also for quality. This difficulty is enhanced by the plethora of offers by trading companies (also more commercially active and English speaking) that tops the offer of the already numerous factories.
Cost of shipping between China and Europe
After experiencing a soar during the sanitary crisis, logistics costs between China and Europe came back to reasonable levels.
Benefiting from the Universal Postal Union’s terminal dues system international agreement under the UN patronizing, packages from China (as a under development country) have a last mile cost in destination countries at very low levels, often lower than real cost in develop countries.
On top of that, Chinese companies have access to next door modern and very effective logistics facilities, from local transport infrastructure to world’s biggest Harbour and airports.
As a result, shipment from China to western countries are often cheaper than shipments between western countries themselves.
How do I do to identify reliable Chinese suppliers ?
How to find suppliers in China ? It is important to act according to a methodology, which we propose in three phases:
- – Supplier research phase
- – Comparison & pre-selection phase
- – Suppliers Background Checking & final choice
Supplier identification
Where to start to look for Chinese supplier ? Below chart shows the pros and cons :
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Word of mouth / referrals | – High trust when referred by experienced importers or industry partners. – Often leads directly to factories already vetted for reliability and quality. |
– Limited pool of options; depends on your network size and experience. – Risk of bias or outdated information if referrer’s experience is old. |
| Web search (Google, Bing, etc.) | – Very broad reach; can find factory websites beyond big platforms. – Good for cross‑checking company information, certifications, and reviews. |
– Time‑consuming to filter real factories from traders or outdated sites. – Many factories in China don’t even have a website. |
| AI tools (sourcing / data platforms) | – Can scan large datasets and shortlist suppliers fast based on defined criteria. – Helps analyze risks (delivery performance, financial health, etc.) and compare many suppliers objectively. |
– Quality of results depends on internet visibility, not on supplier reality – Choice criteria not clear |
| Alibaba / Made‑in‑China / similar B2B platforms | – Huge number of suppliers; easy to compare prices, MOQs, and product ranges. – Platform tools like verification badges, audits, Trade Assurance, and RFQ help reduce risk. |
– Many traders, not factories; real production site not always clear. – High variation in quality and risk of scams; requires extra vetting and sampling.* |
| Trade fairs (e.g., Local fairs in your country, or Canton Fair, Global Sources shows) | – Face‑to‑to‑face contact; can inspect samples and connect with peoples. – Good for building long‑term relationships and confirming that a partners is not a scam. |
– Travel and accommodation costs; time‑intensive to attend. – You still need to audit the company to find out who they really are. |
| Sourcing agents / trading companies | – Local experts who already know factories and can manage communication and QC. – Useful if you lack experience, time, or language skills for direct sourcing. |
– Extra cost and margin; less transparency on the true factory price. – Quality depends heavily on the agent’s integrity and professionalism – Private agent may often be interested for short term cooperation only |
| Industry associations / chambers / directories | – Often list more established or formally registered manufacturers. – Can help pre‑screen suppliers by industry, region, or certification. |
– Coverage may be incomplete; many smaller but good factories are not listed. – Information can be basic; you still need direct vetting and factory visits. |
*: quick review on Reddit r/Alibaba on customers feedback shows the limit of such a tool.
Shortlisting
The next step is to compare the technical offer/ capabilities of suppliers, their pricing and response time, according to the industry you can first contact around 10 suppliers. Following this comparison, a short list of 2 to 3 suppliers at max should emerge.
Selection
You then need to evaluate the credit you can give to this suppliers with background checking : documents (license), address, factory or trading company, percentage of production sub-contracted.
It is here quite convenient to use a standard questionnaire and then conduct some verification. You may also require 2/3 of them to provide samples to check quality and reactivity, Even if a little costly, it may be worth it and prepare you for a backup plan.
Is a visit to the supplier premise mandatory ?
It can indeed do no harm except it’s intrinsic cost and time. It would enable a better comprehension of potential partner reality and capabilities. Decision should be taken based the size of the expected business, an easier solution is to ask a third party to conduct the supplier visit/audit.
In which language can I communicate with a Chinese supplier ?
Surprisingly, many Chinese while having very poor oral English communication skills are able to communicate in relative good written English. They are indeed relying on online translation tools, but most of them can also understand and write a simple English.
We so advise simple written English communication, avoiding long and complex sentences and double-checking that information is well understood.
Supporting your request with drawings and clear specification is a key point even if your request seems simple from your point of view.
Supports for choosing good suppliers in China.
Needless to say, following this procedure takes time and a little bit of knowledge about doing business in China is needed in order to avoid some suppliers tricks.
Furthermore, if the size of the order or the complexity of the parts needs it, supplier visit or third party audit/inspection should be considered seriously.
