Complete Guide to Importing Goods from China to Indonesia 2026

Importing goods from China to Indonesia remains a strategic option for business actors in 2026. With access to competitive suppliers in China’s two largest manufacturing centres, Guangzhou and Yiwu, business actors can obtain quality products at competitive prices, ranging from fashion, electronics, household appliances, to industrial products. The import process through professional forwarder services generally includes several stages. Importers first conduct transactions with suppliers in China or use purchasing services if they do not yet have direct contacts. Next, importers contact a forwarder, such as Natindo Cargo, to determine the shipping route (sea or air), while obtaining the warehouse address in China along with the marking code. After that, the goods are processed for shipment to Indonesia, including customs clearance and permitting handled by the forwarder. Upon arrival at the Jakarta warehouse, the goods will be delivered to the destination address after full payment of shipping costs. The estimated delivery time varies depending on the chosen route. For direct sea routes, shipping generally takes about three to four weeks because it does not go through transit ports. Meanwhile, indirect sea routes require longer time, namely around four to five weeks, due to the transit process at intermediate ports. On the other hand, air route shipping is relatively faster, with an estimated time of about seven to eight days. Head of Import at Natindo Cargo, Samuel Andrew, explained that based on Natindo Cargo’s shipping data throughout 2025, around 65 percent of retail customers chose the sea route due to efficient costs. “Meanwhile, the air route is more commonly used for fashion and electronics products with fast turnover,” said Samuel in a written statement received by Kompas.com on Sunday (1/5/2026). Customs clearance becomes a crucial stage in the import process because it determines the smoothness of goods entering Indonesia. Experienced China-Indonesia Forwarder services will assist in handling permits, payment of import duties, import VAT, and document completeness in accordance with Customs regulations. For certain products, forwarders can also help with additional permits.