Sourcing from China, done properly.
China sourcing and procurement support for East African importers: supplier assessment, specification review and inspection planning. Factory visits, freight and destination clearance are agreed in your scope before work begins.
The China–Africa corridor, in reported figures.
These published trade figures provide market context, not supplier due diligence or a forecast. Reporting coverage and methodology differ across sources.
Where the money flows — China's top African trade partners, 2025
Total bilateral trade, US$ billions, as reported by Chinese customs. Totals combine exports and imports; they are not supplier quality indicators.
Trade flows both ways — at different scales
2025, US$ billions.
China is a major machinery and electrical-equipment supplier. BOFIT reports a share above a quarter in these categories. African exporters also serve Chinese markets, particularly in raw materials; neither flow establishes an individual supplier's reliability.
Source: IMF data analysed by BOFIT, Sep 2025
Sources: China Global South Project · 2025 customs totals; BOFIT · 2024 IMF data. BOFIT excludes Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau and South Sudan from its 50-country aggregate. Different coverage and reporting methods mean these series are not directly interchangeable.
Before we talk money, tell us what you're sourcing.
Five short screens. We use your answers to prepare a realistic scope — the right factories, the right inspection plan, the right freight route — before the first call.
The six ways importers lose money buying from China.
Illustrative failure scenarios: incomplete supplier checks, specification drift, compressed timelines and documentation gaps. Select a risk to discuss controls; these examples do not measure how often a loss occurs.
The unassisted importer's risk map
Qualitative judgment, not measured probabilities. The 1–5 likelihood and impact positions are illustrative priorities, not statistical estimates or a guarantee of protection. Select a dot or use the risk tabs.
How 4Arrows Co. LTD carries it
Discuss desk verification, on-site review and independent inspection together. The proposal defines locations, access, deliverables and the limits of each control.
CLICK EACH — ONE OPENS AT A TIME
A sourcing framework — planning to outcome.
Five phases for supplier assessment and risk review. Open each phase to see proposed tasks and deliverables; access, inspection methods and logistics support require an agreed scope. Controls reduce exposure but do not eliminate it.
OPEN A PHASE — CONFIRM YOUR SCOPE BEFORE COMMITMENT
Mitigation &
Analysis
What all of this becomes: a report you can decide with.
Commission Sourcing: Risk Assessment, Mitigation, and Analysis for category-specific due diligence and a decision pathway. Travel, site access and report deliverables are agreed before work starts.
One desk does the heavy lifting.
Sourcing support for African buyers engaging Chinese suppliers. Review the proposed services and entry points; neither due diligence nor inspection guarantees a loss-free purchase.
Procurement & Manufacturing — the signature desk
China sourcing support: supplier assessment, specification alignment and inspection coordination. On-site work and logistics are proposal-specific; select the phases your assignment needs.
CLICK ANY PHASE TO SEE THE FULL PIPELINE PAGE
Financial Information
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Share your brief. Discuss the scope.
No payment is taken by this intake form. Commissioned assessment work carries a fixed, proposal-specific fee; approved travel and any agreed success fee are separate. Your brief starts the scope discussion, not a paid engagement.
The sourcing brief gives us destination, category, budget and timeline upfront — you can attach it to your contact inquiry without re-entering the details.
Send a message
For a question, a category or a shipment. The receiving service must acknowledge your submission; acknowledgment does not confirm email delivery.