1. The request
An importer asks for a certificate of origin for a destination that has no agreement with China.
2. What can be issued
A non-preferential certificate.
3. What cannot
A preferential certificate, because there is no agreement to claim.
4. The markets
Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia.
Russia and the EAEU, though a non-preferential agreement exists.
Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan.
5. The importer’s expectation
Buyers in these markets sometimes believe a certificate of origin reduces duty.
It does not, absent an agreement.
6. What the importer actually needs
Confirmation of origin for non-preferential purposes: marking, quotas, anti-dumping scope, procurement.
7. The scenario
An exporter’s Brazilian buyer insisted on a “preferential certificate”.
No such document exists for the route.
The buyer had confused the certificate’s purpose with its effect.
8. What to explain
The certificate states origin. The preference comes from an agreement.
9. Closing view
For these markets, the certificate answers a different question.
Knowing which question saves a fruitless application.
*This article is based on China’s free trade agreement coverage as of October 2026.*