China customs data sources

GACC vs UN Comtrade for China customs data

GACC and UN Comtrade can both be useful, but they solve different jobs. GACC is the direct China customs statistics path for monthly HS trade checks. UN Comtrade is a global normalized database for cross-country comparison. Choose the source based on whether you need official China monthly extracts, broad international comparison, or a cleaned CSV / Excel file.

Use GACC for direct China checks

Best when the question is tied to China customs statistics, monthly periods, HS codes, and partner countries.

Use UN Comtrade for global comparison

Best when the question compares many reporting countries or needs a broad international trade data format.

Use cleaned data for delivery speed

Best when the output needs to be a ready-to-use CSV or Excel file for a specific HS code, flow, and period.

Comparison table

Question	GACC	UN Comtrade
Best use	Direct China customs statistics, monthly HS code checks, and official-source validation.	Global trade comparison across reporting economies using a standardized database.
Typical structure	China-focused query output by period, HS code, partner, flow, value, and related source fields.	Normalized international trade records designed for cross-country comparison.
Analyst workload	Manual extraction and cleaning are often needed before spreadsheet analysis.	Easier global access, but users may still need to reconcile reporting conventions and timing.
When ChinaData helps	When the user wants a cleaned China HS file after source coverage is confirmed.	When the user needs GACC-style China monthly extracts instead of a broad global database.

When a cleaned HS file is worth requesting

You need all partner countries, not only a public Top 20 table.

You need one HS6 or HS8 code across several years.

You need import flow, export flow, or both flows in one file.

You need CSV or Excel output with clean country names and periods.

You need quantity and unit fields when official coverage is available.

You need a repeatable source note for research, sourcing, or market-entry work.

Inspect public HS examples

HS 850760 Lithium battery exports HS 854143 Solar panel exports HS 870380 Electric vehicle exports HS 854232 Memory chip imports HS 270900 Crude oil imports

Frequently asked questions

Is GACC better than UN Comtrade for China customs data?

GACC is usually the better starting point when the task is direct China monthly customs statistics by HS code. UN Comtrade is better when the task is broad global comparison across many reporting economies.

Why do GACC and UN Comtrade numbers differ?

Differences can come from reporting country, partner attribution, release timing, commodity classification, revisions, and normalization. For business research, the key is to document which source and method were used.

Can I use UN Comtrade for free instead of buying cleaned data?

Yes, if the free database already answers the question and you can handle the cleaning. Paid cleaned data is useful when you need China-specific monthly HS files, all partner countries, Excel formatting, or a fast scoped delivery.

What should I send if I need a cleaned China HS file?

Send the HS code, export or import flow, years, country scope, required fields, and CSV or Excel format. ChinaData can confirm official source coverage before quoting the file.

Compare all sources Review GACC, ETCN, UN Comtrade, and cleaned HS data options. CSV and Excel guide See what a scoped China customs data file should include. How to read HS data Understand product code, flow, partner country, period, and value fields. HS code trade data Move from HS lookup to product-country trade values. GACC statistics guide Review official-source workflow, limits, and cleaned file needs. Browse HS data Inspect published Top 20 partner tables by HS6 code.