Asia Pacific

Shipping from China to Kaohsiung

China → Kaohsiung · via KHH air / Kaohsiung sea · clearance by Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance

Cargo handling on the China–Kaohsiung lane.

Freight from China into Kaohsiung clears through KHH air / Kaohsiung sea. Kaohsiung is the island's main container port, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.

Clearance itself is handled by Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 1–3 days.

Routing and transit on this lane

Taiwan is effectively an overnight air lane and a two-to-four-day sea lane from South China. The frequency-based de-minimis rule matters more than the value threshold: a consignee who receives more than two low-value parcels in six months loses the exemption entirely, which catches repeat e-commerce buyers.

Air gateways used	TPE (Taoyuan), KHH (Kaohsiung)
Air transit, China to gateway	1–2 business days
Sea gateways used	Kaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung
Sea transit, China to gateway	2–4 calendar days
Gateway serving Kaohsiung	KHH air / Kaohsiung sea
Inland leg to Kaohsiung	Same day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell	1–3 days
Peak season to plan around	Sep–Nov

What you will pay on arrival in Taiwan

Imports into Taiwan are cleared by Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance. The headline position is: Business tax 5%; duty 0–30% depending on commodity. The de-minimis threshold is TWD 2,000, and only twice in any six-month window per consignee.

Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: BSMI commodity inspection mark for electrical and consumer goods; NCC approval for radio devices. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.

Restrictions and known friction points for Taiwan: Certain mainland-origin goods remain on Taiwan's restricted import list — check the commodity classification before booking. BSMI inspection applies to a wide range of consumer electronics and children's products.

Air cargo build-up used on the China to Kaohsiung (Taiwan) freight lane — Handling on the KHH air / Kaohsiung sea routing serving Kaohsiung.

Air, sea or overland into Kaohsiung?

Mode	Transit to gateway	Best suited to
✈️ Air Freight	1–2 business days	time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo
🚢 Sea Freight	2–4 calendar days	volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed

Transit shown is China departure to the Taiwan gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Kaohsiung and 1–3 days of clearance.

Pre-shipment checklist for Kaohsiung

Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Kaohsiung.
Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
Get the conformity paperwork moving early: BSMI commodity inspection mark for electrical and consumer goods; NCC approval for radio devices.

Mode guides for Kaohsiung

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Kaohsiung take?

China to the Taiwan gateway is 1–2 business days by air, 2–4 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 1–3 days of clearance with Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance and a same-day inland leg to Kaohsiung.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Kaohsiung?

Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance applies: Business tax 5%; duty 0–30% depending on commodity. The de-minimis position is TWD 2,000, and only twice in any six-month window per consignee. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Kaohsiung.

How is the chargeable weight calculated for Kaohsiung?

We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air — and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.

Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Kaohsiung?

Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via TPE (Taoyuan), KHH (Kaohsiung). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.

Can you deliver door-to-door in Kaohsiung?

Yes. Delivery to a Kaohsiung address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, and the same-day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.

What documents does Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance require?

A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (BSMI commodity inspection mark for electrical and consumer goods; NCC approval for radio devices). We prepare and file these as part of the service.

Other delivery cities in Taiwan

All Taiwan freight information →

References & official sources

Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Taiwan change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance or your broker before you ship.

Page data last reviewed: 8 月 2026.

Shipping by industry

This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.

All 139 industry guides →

Checking the Taiwan duty position yourself

Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.

Most landed-cost surprises trace back to classification rather than freight. the WCO Harmonized System defines the heading structure every customs administration builds on, and ITC Market Access Map will show you the duty a given heading attracts in this destination.

For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.

If this is your first shipment into Taiwan, the Taiwan Country Commercial Guide covers the practical import environment in more depth than a rate page reasonably can, and it is written by a party with no stake in your booking.

Watch: the process behind this route

This guide covers routing and clearance for Kaohsiung. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.

LCL vs FCL | Difference Between Full Container Load & Less than Container Load | Which is better ? — 10 Min For Supply Chain. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.

Get a rate for Kaohsiung

This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a published rate card, because the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we will come back with a full DDP figure.

Request a quote → See the Taiwan route page →

Customs clearance in Taiwan

Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.

Taiwan clearance requirements →