Exporting from China to Brazil

China is Brazil's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding USD 150 billion annually. But unlike EU exporters who now benefit from the EU-Mercosur agreement, Chinese exporters face full Mercosur Common External Tariff rates — and a growing number of anti-dumping duties. Understanding these barriers is essential for pricing and market strategy.

Key product categories and tariff strategy

Anti-dumping: the hidden cost

Brazil has dozens of active anti-dumping measures targeting Chinese products. Anti-dumping duties are additional taxes (15-80%+) imposed on top of the regular import duty when Brazil determines that a product is being sold below fair market value.

Chinese products currently facing anti-dumping duties in Brazil include:

• Steel products — cold-rolled steel, hot-rolled steel, galvanized steel, steel tubes
• Chemicals — certain organic chemicals, rubber chemicals, PVC resins
• Textiles — certain synthetic fibers and fabrics
• Tires — passenger car tires
• Glass — float glass, tempered glass
• Ceramics — porcelain tableware, ceramic tiles

Anti-dumping duties are investigated by DECOM (Departamento de Defesa Comercial) under SECEX/MDIC and published in the Diário Oficial da União. New investigations are opened regularly.

Always check before quoting. An anti-dumping duty of 50% on top of a 14% import duty fundamentally changes your landed cost calculation.

Certification requirements

Chinese products face particularly heavy regulatory requirements:

• INMETRO — mandatory for electronics, toys, electrical accessories, PPE. Chinese CCC certification does NOT replace INMETRO. Budget R$ 10,000-40,000 and 3-6 months per product family.
• Anatel — all wireless devices (smartphones, Bluetooth speakers, Wi-Fi routers, IoT devices). Testing by accredited OCD laboratory required.
• Brazilian plug standard (NBR 14136) — products with power plugs must use the unique Brazilian standard. Schuko, UK, or Chinese plugs are not accepted.
• Portuguese labeling — all consumer products must have labels in Portuguese with required information.

Ex-Tarifário: still available for Chinese capital goods

Despite the lack of a trade agreement, Chinese manufacturers of capital goods and IT equipment can benefit from Ex-Tarifário. This mechanism is origin-neutral — it applies to goods from any country, as long as no domestic equivalent exists in Brazil.

Chinese products that commonly qualify:

• Construction and mining machinery (excavators, cranes, concrete pumps)
• Textile and packaging machinery
• Server and networking equipment
• Specialized industrial equipment

The Zona Franca de Manaus route

Many Chinese electronics and component manufacturers ship to Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM) where their products are assembled into finished goods with massive tax incentives. Samsung, LG, and other brands with ZFM operations source heavily from Chinese component suppliers.

If your product is a component or intermediate for ZFM assembly, your effective tax rate drops dramatically — even without a trade agreement.

The EU-Mercosur competitive gap

Starting May 2026, your EU competitors pay lower tariffs that decrease every year. The gap widens progressively:

Strategy options: compete on price (absorb the gap), compete on value (features EU competitors don't offer), use Ex-Tarifário (origin-neutral 0%), or route through ZFM assembly.

Practical next steps

1. Find your product's NCM code
2. Check for active anti-dumping duties on your NCM code (DECOM/SECEX database)
3. Check Ex-Tarifário status for capital goods
4. Calculate the full landed cost including all 7 taxes
5. Verify regulatory requirements (INMETRO, Anatel, ANVISA)