Inspection

Inspection in foreign trade usually refers to the physical examination, sample testing, or document verification of import and export goods by customs, inspection and quarantine authorities, or a third party stipulated in the contract, in order to confirm whether they comply with laws and regulations, contractual requirements, or standards. Use cases include: customs inspection to verify declared information and prevent smuggling; inspection and quarantine (such as commodity inspection) to ensure product quality, safety, and hygiene; and pre-shipment inspection (PSI) designated by the buyer. Precautions: inspection may generate costs and delay the shipping schedule, so documents must be prepared in advance and the goods must be consistent with the declaration; if discrepancies are found, fines, return shipment, or destruction may result. It is often used interchangeably with "inspection," but "inspection" emphasizes official or mandatory verification actions, while "inspection" can broadly refer to any examination, including commercial ones. It differs from "quarantine," which targets disease risks in animals, plants, and food. It also differs from "drayage inspection," which refers to inspection during drayage. The distinction lies in: inspection focuses on compliance verification, inspection focuses on quality conformity, and quarantine focuses on biological safety.