Silk Road Intel

Tools & Resources

The tools, data sources, and books used by the Silk Road Intel team. Curated for trade operators, Arab importers, and procurement professionals working the China-MENA corridor.

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Section 1

Cross-Border Payments

Wise Business
Send money internationally at real exchange rates. Used by Arab importers paying Chinese suppliers.
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Payoneer
Multi-currency accounts for receiving payments across MENA and China.
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Section 2

Trade Data & Intelligence

UN Comtrade
Free global trade data. The source behind the Silk Road Intel stats page.
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ImportYeti
Free US import records. Search any supplier's shipping history.
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Panjiva (S&P Global)
Premium trade intelligence used by procurement teams at scale.
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Section 3

Freight & Logistics

Freightos
Instant freight quotes for China-MENA shipping lanes.
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Flexport
End-to-end freight forwarding with full shipment visibility.
Visit
Section 4

Supplier Verification

Alibaba Gold Supplier
Verified manufacturer listings with export history.
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SGS Inspection Services
Third-party factory audits and product verification.
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Bureau Veritas
Global quality assurance and supply chain certification.
Visit
Section 5

Essential Reading

The Handbook of International Trade and Finance
Anders Grath
View on Amazon
The Silk Roads
Peter Frankopan
View on Amazon
Basic Economics
Thomas Sowell
View on Amazon
When China Rules the World
Martin Jacques
View on Amazon
The Box
Marc Levinson
View on Amazon
Export/Import Procedures and Documentation
Donna Bade
View on Amazon
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