China Trading Company vs Manufacturer: How to Tell the Difference (2026)

You found a supplier on Alibaba. They claim to be a "factory direct manufacturer" with 15 years of experience and competitive pricing. Their product photos look professional. Their sales rep responds quickly. Everything seems legitimate.

But here is the question that separates experienced importers from beginners: is this supplier actually a manufacturer, or are they a trading company pretending to be one?

This distinction matters far more than most buyers realize. Trading companies and manufacturers operate under fundamentally different business models, cost structures, and risk profiles. Confusing the two can lead to inflated pricing, quality control failures, communication breakdowns, and supply chain disruptions that cost you thousands of dollars — or worse.

According to industry estimates, as many as 30-50% of suppliers listed as "manufacturers" on major B2B platforms like Alibaba and Made-in-China.com are actually trading companies or middlemen. Some are upfront about their role. Many are not.

This guide gives you 7+ proven methods to determine whether a Chinese supplier is a genuine manufacturer or a trading company, explains when each type is actually the better choice, and shows you how to verify the truth before you commit your money.

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What Is a Trading Company?

A trading company (贸易公司, or 外贸公司 for export-focused firms) is a business that buys products from one or more manufacturers and resells them to buyers — typically international buyers. Trading companies do not own factories. They do not manufacture anything. Their core function is to act as an intermediary between buyers and factories.

In China, trading companies are formally registered with a business scope that includes terms like:

• 销售 (xiāoshòu) — sales
• 批发 (pīfā) — wholesale
• 贸易 (màoyì) — trade
• 进出口 (jìn chūkǒu) — import and export
• 供应链管理 (gōngyìng liàn guǎnlǐ) — supply chain management

A trading company's profit comes from the markup between what they pay the factory and what they charge you. This markup typically ranges from 5% to 30%, depending on the product category, order size, and how many middlemen are in the chain.

Common Trading Company Structures

Not all trading companies operate the same way. Here are the most common types you will encounter:

1. Pure trading companies: No manufacturing capability whatsoever. They source from multiple factories based on the buyer's specifications and handle export logistics. Many have long-standing relationships with specific factories.

2. Export agents / sourcing companies: Similar to pure trading companies but positioned as service providers rather than product sellers. They charge a commission (typically 3-10%) rather than marking up the product price.

3. Trading companies with affiliated factories: Some trading companies have ownership ties or exclusive partnerships with specific factories. They genuinely offer factory-level access but operate the export business through a separate trading entity — often for tax and licensing reasons.

4. "Factory" fronts: The most problematic type. These are trading companies that actively misrepresent themselves as manufacturers. They use rented factory photos, fabricated production videos, and misleading company descriptions to appear as direct manufacturers. According to discussions on FOB Shanghai, a prominent Chinese trade forum, this practice is widespread on international B2B platforms.

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What Is a Manufacturer?

A manufacturer (生产厂家 or 制造商) is a company that owns or operates production facilities and directly makes the products they sell. They employ factory workers, own or lease manufacturing equipment, control the production process, and are responsible for quality at the source.

In China, manufacturers are registered with a business scope that includes terms like:

• 生产 (shēngchǎn) — production
• 制造 (zhìzào) — manufacturing
• 加工 (jiāgōng) — processing
• 组装 (zǔzhuāng) — assembly

Legitimate manufacturers typically hold additional certifications and permits depending on their industry — such as ISO quality management certifications, product-specific safety certifications (CE, UL, FDA), and environmental compliance permits.

Types of Manufacturers

1. OEM manufacturers (Original Equipment Manufacturer): They produce goods according to your design and specifications. You own the product design; they provide the manufacturing capability.

2. ODM manufacturers (Original Design Manufacturer): They design and manufacture products that you can rebrand and sell under your own label. This is common in consumer electronics, apparel, and home goods.

3. Contract manufacturers: They provide manufacturing services under contract, often for specific components or production stages. They may work with multiple brands simultaneously.

4. Vertically integrated manufacturers: Large operations that control the entire production chain from raw materials to finished goods. These are less common and typically serve high-volume buyers.

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Why It Matters: The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong

The difference between working with a manufacturer versus a trading company is not merely academic. It has direct, measurable impacts on your business.

Price Impact

When you buy through a trading company, you are paying the factory price plus the trading company's margin. For a product with a $10 factory-gate price, you might pay $12-15 through a trading company. Over a 10,000-unit order, that is $20,000-50,000 in additional cost. If there are multiple middlemen in the chain — which happens more often than you might think — the markup compounds.

As noted in Advanta Sourcing's 2026 guide to factory vs trading company sourcing, the price difference between buying directly from a manufacturer versus through a trading company can be 10-30% for standard products.

Quality Control

When a trading company sits between you and the factory, your quality feedback passes through an intermediary. Specifications can get lost in translation. The trading company may not have the technical expertise to evaluate whether the factory is implementing your requirements correctly. And if quality problems arise, the trading company's incentive is to protect their factory relationship — not necessarily to advocate aggressively for your standards.

Communication and Responsiveness

Direct factory communication means you can discuss technical specifications with the engineers who will actually produce your product. With a trading company, you are communicating with a salesperson who relays your messages to the factory. This adds days to response times and increases the risk of miscommunication — especially for complex or customized products.

Supply Chain Transparency

If your trading company switches factories without telling you — which happens regularly — your product quality, lead times, and pricing can all change without warning. Direct manufacturer relationships give you visibility into exactly where and how your products are made.

Intellectual Property Risk

Sharing product designs and specifications with a trading company means those designs may be passed to factories you do not know about and have no relationship with. This increases the risk of your designs being copied or shared with your competitors. According to industry analysis, IP protection is significantly more manageable when you maintain a direct manufacturer relationship.

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7 Proven Methods to Tell If a Chinese Supplier Is a Trading Company or Manufacturer

Method 1: Check the Business License (Most Reliable)

The single most reliable way to determine whether a Chinese supplier is a trading company or a manufacturer is to examine their business license (营业执照). Every legally registered Chinese company must hold one, and it contains a field called Business Scope (经营范围) that explicitly states what activities the company is authorized to perform.

What to look for:

• Manufacturing keywords: 生产 (production), 制造 (manufacturing), 加工 (processing), 组装 (assembly). If these terms appear in the business scope, the company is registered as a manufacturer.
• Trading keywords: 销售 (sales), 批发 (wholesale), 贸易 (trade), 进出口 (import/export). If the business scope only contains these terms and no manufacturing terms, the company is a trading company.
• Mixed scope: Some companies have both manufacturing and trading terms in their business scope. This could mean the company is a manufacturer with its own export operation, or it could be a primarily trading company that registered a broad scope. Further investigation is needed.

How to verify:

1. Ask the supplier for a copy of their business license
2. Note the Unified Social Credit Code (统一社会信用代码) — the 18-character code at the top
3. Search this code on the GSXT database to verify the business scope independently
4. If you cannot read Chinese, use a business license verification service to decode and verify the information

For a detailed walkthrough of how to read and verify a Chinese business license, see our complete guide: Chinese Business License Verification: How to Check If It's Real.

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Method 2: Analyze the Company Name

Chinese company names follow a standardized structure mandated by law: [Region] + [Trade Name] + [Industry] + [Company Type]. The industry term in the company name often reveals whether the company is a manufacturer or trader.

Manufacturing indicators in company names:

• 制造有限公司 — Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
• 工业有限公司 — Industrial Co., Ltd.
• 科技有限公司 — Technology Co., Ltd. (common for electronics manufacturers)
• 实业有限公司 — Industrial Enterprise Co., Ltd.

Trading indicators in company names:

• 贸易有限公司 — Trading Co., Ltd.
• 商贸有限公司 — Commerce and Trade Co., Ltd.
• 进出口有限公司 — Import & Export Co., Ltd.
• 国际贸易有限公司 — International Trading Co., Ltd.
• 供应链有限公司 — Supply Chain Co., Ltd.

Important caveat: While the company name is a useful initial signal, it is not conclusive on its own. Some trading companies register with names that include "industrial" or "technology." Some manufacturers register subsidiary trading entities for their export business. Always cross-reference the company name with the business license and business scope.

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Method 3: Evaluate Pricing Patterns and Negotiation Behavior

Manufacturers and trading companies exhibit different pricing behaviors because their cost structures are fundamentally different. Experienced buyers can often detect the difference from how a supplier responds to price negotiations.

Signs of a manufacturer:

• Detailed cost breakdowns: A real manufacturer can break down the price into raw materials, labor, overhead, tooling, and margin. They know exactly what each component costs because they produce it themselves.
• Flexible pricing on volume: Manufacturers can offer meaningful volume discounts because their marginal cost per unit decreases with scale. They control production scheduling and can spread fixed costs over larger runs.
• Material-specific pricing responses: When raw material prices change, manufacturers adjust their quotes with specific reference to which materials and by how much. They can explain exactly how a steel price increase affects the unit cost of your product.
• Tooling and setup costs: Manufacturers typically charge for molds, tooling, and setup separately because these are real costs they incur.

Signs of a trading company:

• Round-number pricing: Trading companies often quote round numbers ($5.00, $8.50) because they are adding a fixed markup to the factory price rather than calculating from actual production costs.
• Vague cost breakdowns: When you ask a trading company for a detailed cost breakdown, they often struggle to provide specific numbers for raw materials, labor, and overhead — because they do not have this information themselves.
• Slow pricing responses: A trading company needs to relay your specifications to the factory, wait for the factory quote, add their margin, and then respond. This typically takes 2-5 days. A manufacturer can often quote within hours.
• Reluctance to negotiate deeply: Trading companies have a floor price (what the factory charges them) below which they cannot go. When negotiations approach this floor, they become rigid or evasive. Manufacturers have more room to adjust because they can optimize their own production costs.
• Product range that is too broad: If a supplier offers products across vastly different categories — say, electronics, textiles, AND furniture — they are almost certainly a trading company sourcing from multiple factories. No single manufacturer produces such diverse product lines.

According to guidance from 1688's operational resources, China's largest domestic B2B platform, buyers should be wary of suppliers who cannot articulate their production costs in detail.

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Method 4: Assess the Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)

MOQ policies differ significantly between manufacturers and trading companies, and understanding these differences provides another diagnostic signal.

Manufacturer MOQ characteristics:

• Higher MOQs with logical justification: Manufacturers set MOQs based on real production constraints — minimum run lengths on machines, material purchase minimums, mold setup costs, and production line efficiency. A plastics manufacturer might require 5,000 units because that is the minimum economical production run for their injection molding setup.
• MOQ varies by product complexity: More complex products with specialized tooling will have higher MOQs. Standard products with existing molds will have lower MOQs.
• Willingness to negotiate MOQ with conditions: A manufacturer might lower the MOQ if you agree to a higher per-unit price to cover the setup costs that are spread over fewer units.

Trading company MOQ characteristics:

• Lower or more flexible MOQs: Trading companies can offer lower MOQs because they aggregate orders from multiple buyers and place a single large order with the factory. Some trading companies deliberately advertise low MOQs to attract small buyers.
• MOQ seems arbitrary or inconsistent: If the supplier's MOQ does not seem connected to any production reality — or if it changes dramatically between conversations — they are likely a trading company adjusting based on what they think will close the deal.
• No price penalty for small orders: If a supplier quotes the same unit price whether you order 100 or 10,000 units, they are likely a trading company working from a fixed markup structure rather than a manufacturer whose unit economics genuinely change with volume.

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Method 5: Request a Factory Visit or Virtual Tour

Nothing reveals the truth faster than seeing the production facility. A genuine manufacturer will welcome factory visits because their facility is their strongest sales tool. A trading company will resist, delay, or redirect because they do not have a factory to show you.

How a manufacturer responds to visit requests:

• Enthusiastic agreement and prompt scheduling
• Offers to arrange transportation from the nearest airport or train station
• Can provide the exact factory address (which matches or is near the registered business address)
• Suggests specific production lines or processes you can observe
• The person who gives the tour can answer detailed technical questions about production

How a trading company responds to visit requests:

• Delays and excuses ("Our factory is being renovated," "The factory is in a different province," "We need three weeks' notice")
• Offers a "showroom visit" instead of a factory tour
• The address they provide is an office building, not an industrial area
• If they do arrange a visit, they take you to a factory that belongs to one of their suppliers — and the factory workers may not recognize the trading company's name
• The tour guide cannot answer detailed production questions and defers to "the engineer" who is conveniently unavailable

Virtual tour alternative: If you cannot visit in person, request a live video call from the factory floor. Ask the supplier to show you:

1. The exterior of the factory with the company name signage visible
2. The production line for your specific product
3. Raw material warehouse
4. Quality control area
5. Packaging and shipping area

A real manufacturer can do this spontaneously. A trading company will need to arrange it in advance — if they can arrange it at all.

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Method 6: Examine Certifications and Compliance Documents

The type and depth of certifications a supplier holds reveals a great deal about whether they are a manufacturer or a trading company.

Certifications that indicate a genuine manufacturer:

• ISO 9001 (Quality Management): The certificate must list the specific manufacturing processes covered and the factory address. Check that the factory address matches the supplier's claimed location.
• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management): Only relevant for companies with actual production facilities that generate environmental impact.
• Product-specific certifications (CE, UL, FDA, RoHS): These certifications are issued for specific products manufactured at specific facilities. The certificate should list the manufacturer's name and factory address — not a trading company's name.
• Industry-specific certifications: IATF 16949 (automotive), AS9100 (aerospace), GMP (pharmaceuticals/food) — these are only granted to actual manufacturing facilities.

What trading companies typically show:

• ISO 9001 with a generic scope: Some trading companies obtain ISO 9001 for their "sales and trading" processes, not for manufacturing. Read the scope of the certificate carefully.
• Certificates belonging to their factory suppliers: A trading company may show you a factory's ISO certificate or product certification — but the company name on the certificate will be the factory's name, not the trading company's name. Ask specifically whether the certificate is issued in the supplier's name.
• Self-declared certifications: Documents that look official but are not issued by accredited third-party certification bodies.

How to verify certifications:

Most legitimate certification bodies maintain online databases where you can verify certificate authenticity. For example:

• ISO certifications can be verified through the issuing body's website
• CE declarations can be cross-referenced with EU databases
• UL certifications can be checked at UL Product iQ

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Method 7: Use a Professional Verification Service

The methods above are effective but time-consuming, especially if you do not read Chinese or have experience navigating Chinese government databases. A professional verification service can determine a supplier's true nature in days by pulling data from multiple official sources simultaneously.

A comprehensive China company credit report will tell you:

• Business scope analysis: Whether the company is registered for manufacturing, trading, or both — verified directly from official government records
• Company type and structure: Whether the entity is a manufacturing company, trading company, or something else entirely
• Registered capital and paid-in capital: Manufacturers typically have higher registered capital due to equipment and facility investments
• Registered address: Whether the company address is in an industrial zone (suggesting manufacturing) or a commercial office building (suggesting trading)
• Annual report data: Employee count, revenue, and asset information from official filings — manufacturers typically have more employees and higher fixed assets
• Related companies and shareholders: Whether the company has affiliated manufacturing entities, or whether it is a standalone trading operation
• Litigation and enforcement history: Manufacturers and trading companies face different types of legal issues — the pattern of lawsuits can reveal the company's true nature

For detailed guidance on verifying any Chinese supplier, see our comprehensive guide: How to Verify a Chinese Supplier: 7 Methods That Work.

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3 Bonus Methods: Additional Red Flags and Signals

Beyond the seven primary methods above, experienced sourcing professionals use these additional signals to differentiate manufacturers from trading companies.

Bonus 1: Check the Company's Registered Address

Use Google Maps, Baidu Maps, or satellite imagery to examine the company's registered address.

• Industrial zone or factory district: Strong indicator of a manufacturer. Chinese manufacturing is heavily clustered in designated industrial parks (工业园区) and development zones (开发区).
• Commercial office building or residential area: Strong indicator of a trading company. Trading companies typically operate from office spaces, not factory facilities.
• Mismatch between claimed location and registered address: If the supplier claims to be in Shenzhen but their registered address is in a small town in another province, something does not add up.

Bonus 2: Analyze Their Product Range

A genuine manufacturer specializes. They make one category of products — or a few closely related categories — because their factory is equipped with specific machinery for specific production processes.

Ask yourself:

• Does this supplier offer products across unrelated categories? (e.g., LED lights AND kitchen appliances AND outdoor furniture)
• Can they source "anything you need from China"?
• Do they describe themselves as a "one-stop sourcing solution"?

If yes to any of these, you are almost certainly dealing with a trading company.

Bonus 3: Test Their Technical Knowledge

During your conversations with the supplier, ask detailed technical questions about the manufacturing process:

• What material grades do you use for this component?
• What is your injection molding tonnage range?
• What quality testing do you perform at each production stage?
• What is your defect rate and how do you handle rework?
• Can you explain the production process from raw material to finished product?

A real manufacturer's team will answer these questions confidently and in detail. A trading company's sales representative will give vague answers, need to "check with the factory," or redirect the conversation back to pricing and delivery terms.

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Pros and Cons: Manufacturer vs Trading Company

Advantages of Buying from a Manufacturer

Disadvantages of Buying from a Manufacturer

Advantages of Buying from a Trading Company

Disadvantages of Buying from a Trading Company

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When a Trading Company Is Actually the Better Choice

Despite the common advice to "always buy direct from the factory," there are legitimate scenarios where a trading company is the smarter choice. Experienced importers understand that the best supplier type depends on your specific situation.

You Should Consider a Trading Company When:

1. Your order volume is small. If you are placing orders of a few hundred units, most quality manufacturers will not take your order — or will charge a significant premium. Trading companies fill this gap by aggregating small orders from multiple buyers.

2. You need multiple product categories. If you sell a diverse product line (for example, a kitchen brand that offers appliances, cookware, utensils, and storage), working with one reliable trading company is far more efficient than managing relationships with five or six different factories.

3. You have no experience sourcing from China. For first-time importers, the complexities of factory communication, quality inspection, export documentation, and shipping logistics can be overwhelming. A good trading company handles all of this and effectively serves as your China operations team.

4. The product is a commodity with little customization. For standard, off-the-shelf products where quality differences between factories are minimal (basic packaging supplies, standard fasteners, generic consumer electronics accessories), the trading company's markup may be worth the convenience.

5. You need fast turnaround. Trading companies often maintain inventory of popular products or have relationships with multiple factories that allow them to fulfill orders faster than a single manufacturer could.

6. The manufacturer does not handle exports. Many small and medium Chinese factories sell exclusively to the domestic market or through trading companies. They do not have export licenses, do not speak English, and do not handle international shipping. In these cases, a trading company is not a middleman — they are a necessary bridge.

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How ChineseCheck Helps You Identify Trading Companies vs Manufacturers

At ChineseCheck, we help international buyers cut through the ambiguity and verify the true nature of any Chinese supplier. Our verification reports pull data from 24+ official Chinese government databases and deliver clear, English-language analysis that answers the critical questions:

What Our Report Reveals:

• Business scope analysis: We translate and analyze the official business scope from the company's government registration to determine whether they are registered for manufacturing, trading, or both.
• Company classification: We identify the company type based on official registration data — not the supplier's self-description.
• Registered address verification: We check whether the registered address corresponds to an industrial facility or a commercial office, and whether it matches the supplier's claimed location.
• Related entity mapping: We identify affiliated companies, subsidiaries, and shareholder relationships that may reveal the supplier's true position in the supply chain.
• Financial indicators: Employee counts, registered capital, paid-in capital, and fixed assets from official annual reports — all of which differentiate manufacturers from trading companies.
• Litigation and enforcement records: The pattern of legal cases provides additional context about the company's actual business activities.
• Comprehensive risk assessment: Our analysts combine all data points into a clear risk assessment with specific red flags and recommendations.

Whether you are evaluating a new supplier on Alibaba, verifying a contact from a trade show, or conducting due diligence on an existing partner, our report gives you the verified facts you need to make informed decisions.

For more on how to verify any Chinese supplier before placing an order, see our complete guide: How to Check If a Chinese Company Is Legit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it always better to buy directly from a manufacturer in China?

No. While buying directly from a manufacturer offers lower prices and better quality control, it is not always the best option. If your order volume is small, you need products from multiple categories, or you lack experience sourcing from China, a reputable trading company can provide valuable services that justify their markup. The key is knowing which type you are working with so you can set appropriate expectations for pricing, communication, and quality management.

Can a company be both a manufacturer and a trading company?

Yes, this is quite common. Many Chinese manufacturers have export trading divisions that handle international sales. Some register a separate trading company entity for tax and licensing reasons while maintaining their own factory. When you encounter a company with both manufacturing and trading terms in their business scope, it is worth investigating whether they actually operate a factory or merely registered a broad business scope to appear more capable. A company credit report can clarify this by revealing employee counts, fixed assets, and related entities.

How can I tell the difference on Alibaba specifically?

Alibaba allows suppliers to self-classify as "Manufacturer" or "Trading Company" in their profile — but this is self-reported and not verified. To go beyond the label: (1) check the business scope on the supplier's Chinese business license, (2) compare the company name against GSXT government records, (3) ask detailed technical questions about production, and (4) request a factory video call. Many suppliers listed as "Manufacturer" on Alibaba are actually trading companies. Our guide on how to find Chinese suppliers covers platform-specific verification tips in detail.

What percentage of suppliers on Alibaba are trading companies?

Exact figures are difficult to determine because many trading companies classify themselves as manufacturers. Industry estimates from sourcing professionals and trade forums like FOB Shanghai suggest that 30-50% of suppliers listed as "manufacturers" on major B2B platforms are actually trading companies or have trading company characteristics. The percentage varies by product category — consumer goods and electronics tend to have a higher proportion of trading companies, while heavy industrial equipment tends to have more genuine manufacturers.

Does a higher price always mean I am dealing with a trading company?

Not necessarily. Some manufacturers charge premium prices because they offer higher quality, better certifications, more reliable delivery, or specialized capabilities. A higher price can also reflect material quality, compliance costs, or simply a healthy profit margin. The difference is in the cost breakdown: a manufacturer can explain exactly why their product costs what it does (material $X, labor $Y, overhead $Z), while a trading company typically cannot provide this level of detail because they do not control the production process.

How do I verify a Chinese company's business scope if I don't read Chinese?

You have several options: (1) use Google Translate or DeepL on the business license — while not perfect, it will capture key manufacturing or trading terms; (2) ask the supplier for an official English translation and then cross-reference the Chinese original; (3) use ChineseCheck's verification service which provides professional English-language analysis of the business scope and company classification; or (4) hire a bilingual sourcing agent to review the documents. For the most reliable results, professional verification is recommended — automated translation can miss nuances in Chinese business and legal terminology.

What if my trading company supplier has been reliable — should I switch to a manufacturer?

Not necessarily. If your trading company delivers consistent quality, competitive pricing, responsive communication, and reliable logistics, there may be no reason to change. The risk of switching to an unknown manufacturer could outweigh the potential cost savings. However, it is still valuable to know that you are working with a trading company so you can (1) understand your actual supply chain, (2) have a backup plan if the trading company encounters problems, and (3) evaluate whether the trading company's margin is reasonable for the services they provide.

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Conclusion: Know Who You Are Buying From

The distinction between a Chinese trading company and a manufacturer is not about one being "good" and the other being "bad." Both serve legitimate roles in international trade. The problem arises when you do not know which one you are dealing with — because that ignorance affects your pricing expectations, quality management approach, communication strategy, and risk assessment.

Here is your verification checklist:

1. Request and verify the business license — check the business scope for manufacturing vs trading terms
2. Analyze the company name — look for industry indicators in the Chinese registered name
3. Evaluate pricing behavior — test whether the supplier can provide detailed cost breakdowns
4. Assess MOQ policies — determine whether MOQs reflect real production constraints
5. Request a factory visit or virtual tour — a genuine manufacturer will welcome the opportunity
6. Examine certifications — verify that certifications are issued in the supplier's name for manufacturing activities
7. Check the registered address — use maps to verify whether the location is industrial or commercial
8. Use a professional verification service — for the most reliable, comprehensive assessment

The most reliable approach combines multiple methods. Any single signal can be misleading, but when the business license, company name, pricing behavior, certifications, and registered address all point in the same direction, you can be confident in your assessment.

Do not let a trading company pretending to be a manufacturer inflate your costs, compromise your quality, or obscure your supply chain. And do not dismiss a legitimate trading company that could genuinely simplify your China sourcing operations.

Know who you are buying from. Verify before you pay.

Related reading:

• How to Verify a Chinese Supplier: 7 Methods That Work
• Chinese Business License Verification: How to Check If It's Real
• How to Check If a Chinese Company Is Legit
• How to Find Chinese Suppliers: 6 Proven Methods
• China Company Credit Report: What It Includes and How to Get One

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Written by the ChineseCheck Research Team — specialists in Chinese business verification with access to 24+ official government databases. Our team combines expertise in Chinese corporate law, international trade compliance, and cross-border due diligence to help international buyers distinguish between trading companies and manufacturers with confidence.